Israeli forces have targeted at least two United Nations facilities, pushing forward with a crackdown against the UN agency for Palestinian refugees tasked with delivering humanitarian services to millions of people across the region.
Crews began bulldozing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency ‘s offices in Sheikh Jarrah and fired tear gas at a vocational school in Qalandia, marking Israel’s latest and most dramatic step against UNRWA.
UNRWA’s mandate is to provide aid and services to about 2.5 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, as well as 3 million more refugees in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.
The group has for years maintained infrastructure in refugee camps and also run schools and provided health care but its operations were curtailed last year when Israel’s Knesset passed legislation severing ties and banning it from functioning in what it defines as Israel, including east Jerusalem.
The agency said the demolitions could imperil operations at the vocational center in Qalandia and heath facility in Shu’afat, where it still provides education and health services.
Roland Friedrich, the agency’s West Bank Director, said that UNRWA had received word that demolition crews and police arrived at their east Jerusalem headquarters early on Tuesday.
Staff have not operated out of the facility for almost a year out of safety concerns, but Israeli forces confiscated devices and forced out private security guards hired to protect the facility.
Friedrich said, “What we saw today is the culmination of two years of incitement and measures against UNRWA in east Jerusalem,” calling it a violation of international law guaranteeing such facilities protection.
The UNRWA also noted in a statement that this is an unprecedented attack not only against UNRWA and its premises. “It constitutes a serious violation of international law and the privileges and immunities of the United Nations,” it said.
The demolition marked the culmination of years of criticism from Israel and its leaders. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war more than two years ago, it has ramped up such attacks, accusing UNRWA of being infiltrated by Hamas and saying the militants used its facilities and seized aid.
It has provided little evidence for the claims, which the UN has denied. The International Court of Justice said in October that Israel must allow the agency to provide humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
Since Israel passed its law banning the agency last year, its facilities; schools and health centers, and its headquarters have repeatedly been closed, raided or left unprotected.
Reacting to the incident, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, said in a statement on X, “This must be a wake-up call.”
“What happens today to UNRWA will happen tomorrow to any other international organisation or diplomatic mission, whether in the Occupied Palestinian Territory or anywhere around the world.”
Philippe Lazzarini
Israel Hails Demolition
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said that the demolition enforced a new law banning UNRWA, noting that Israel owns the site and rejecting UNRWA’s claims that the move violated international law.
An Israeli flag was seen hoisted above the facility in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, where some Israeli politicians arrived on the scene to celebrate the organization’s fate. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called it “a historic day.”
Israel has long claimed the agency has an anti-Israel bias. Often with little evidence, it says UNRWA employs and maintains ties with militant groups including Hamas.
The UN has ardently denied such claims and UNRWA has said it acts quickly to purge any suspected militants among its staff.
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