Israeli authorities have started demolishing the former headquarters of the United Nation’s Palestinian aid agency in occupied East Jerusalem in a move the UN has labelled a “serious violation of international law”.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) had occupied the site for decades.
International staff were forced to leave in early 2025 when a legislated ban on UNRWA’s operations in Israel came into force and their visas were torn up.
On Tuesday morning local time, Israeli security forces arrived with demolition equipment at the compound.
UNRWA spokesperson Jonathan Fowler said the personnel forced security guards to leave the site.
“Then bulldozers subsequently entered the compound and began demolishing buildings inside it,” he said.
“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.
“Like all UN member states, Israel is obliged to protect and respect the inviolability of UN premises — no exceptions.”
UNRWA operates many schools and health services for the Palestinian population in occupied East Jerusalem. (Reuters)
Israel’s attack on UNRWA
The Israeli government has spent years attacking UNRWA, arguing it had been infiltrated by Hamas in Gaza and that some of its staff had been involved in the deadly attacks against Israel on October 7.
A UN investigation led to the sacking of nine staff who may have been involved, although the UN has long argued the accusations against the agency in its entirety were unfounded.
In 2024 the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, passed legislation banning UNRWA’s operations in Israel and making it illegal for any Israeli officials to have any dealings with the organisation.
The second part of the ban has hampered UNRWA’s operations in Gaza and the West Bank, given Israel controls all entry and exit points.
UNRWA operates many schools and health services for the Palestinian population in occupied East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.
A woman picks up medicine from a pharmacy at a UNRWA compound in East Jerusalem. (Reuters: Sinan Abu Mayzer)
Its operations also extend to things such as garbage collection in places such as the Shufat refugee camp, a short drive from the Ammunition Hill compound.
Mr Fowler said the attacks against the agency had to end.
“This is a huge source of concern because this should be a wake-up call,” he said.
A spokesperson for Israel’s Foreign Ministry rejected UNRWA’s claims.
“The state of Israel owns the Jerusalem compound in which the Israel Land Authority is operating today,” Oren Marmorstein said.
“Even prior to the passage of legislation in January 2025, UNRWA-Hamas had already ceased its operations at this site and no longer had any UN personnel or UN activity there.
“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.”
Nationalist Israeli activists celebrate a ban on UNRWA’s operations in Jerusalem and Israel during a protest last year. (Reuters: Jamal Awad)
He said the demolition work was part of the ongoing implementation of the UNRWA ban.
“UNRWA-Hamas employees participated in the October seventh massacre and the kidnapping of Israelis,” Mr Marmorstein said.
“Numerous employees within the organisation are Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists, and the organisation’s infrastructure has been used for tunnel construction, rocket fire, and terrorist activities.
“UNRWA-Hamas has long ceased to be a humanitarian aid organisation, serving instead as a greenhouse for terrorism.”