Israel demolishes UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem; UN agency: ‘Unprecedented attack’

Israel demolishes the UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem, in line with a law passed in October 2024 banning the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and their descendants from operating in the country.

Israel accuses the UN agency of collusion with Hamas.

“UNRWA-Hamas had already ceased its operations at this site and no longer had any UN personnel or UN activity there,” the Foreign Ministry says in a statement. “The compound does not enjoy any immunity and the seizure of this compound by Israeli authorities was carried out in accordance with both Israeli and international law.”

UNRWA spokesman Jonathan Fowler tells AFP that Israeli forces “stormed into” the compound.

“This is an unprecedented attack against UNRWA and its premises. And it also constitutes a serious violation of international law and the privileges and immunities of the United Nations,” he adds.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir arrives at the scene to watch the demolition.

“This is an important day for sovereignty in Jerusalem,” he says. “Today these terror supporters are being kicked out of here with everything they’ve built. This is what will be done to every terror supporter.”

Despite the ban, some UNRWA operations have been hobbling along in East Jerusalem.

Israel has long sought to shutter the agency, saying it perpetuates the conflict by continuing to confer refugee status on Palestinian descendants.

It ramped up its campaign against the agency after evidence showed that employees of the agency had participated in the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.

Israel has also alleged that more than 10 percent of UNRWA’s staff in Gaza have ties to terrorist factions, and that educational facilities under the organization’s auspices consistently incite hatred of Israel and glorify terror.