Teams from the Israel Land Authority, accompanied by security forces from the Israel Police, demolished the buildings at the UNRWA headquarters compound in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem on Tuesday morning.
The teams operated at the site for several hours, using bulldozers to destroy the structures that had served UNRWA employees, some as offices and others as storage facilities. A sign prohibiting entry to the compound was hung on the main gate, and an Israeli flag was raised atop the flagpole of one building that was not demolished.
UNRWA staff had been ordered to vacate the compound some time ago, and several weeks earlier the site had been emptied of its contents. A few days ago, notices were also delivered to the schools operated by UNRWA in Jerusalem and to the organization’s clinic in the Old City, informing them of the disconnection of water and electricity supplies.
Who Led the Demolition of the UNRWA Headquarters in Jerusalem?
At the head of the force operating at the site stood National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, alongside Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Arieh King. Ben Gvir posted the following message on his X account: “A historic day, a day of celebration, a very important day for governance in Jerusalem. For years these terror supporters were here, and today these terror supporters are being removed from here along with everything they built here. This is what will be done to every terror supporter!”
The operation in Jerusalem brings to an end the practical implementation of the “Law to Terminate UNRWA Activity within the Territory of the State of Israel, 2024,” which was passed by the Knesset following the deadly Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and after it emerged that many UNRWA employees were among the terrorists who took part in the brutal assault. Among other provisions, the law stipulates that UNRWA “shall not operate any office, shall not provide any service, and shall not conduct any activity, directly or indirectly, within the sovereign territory of the State of Israel.”
How Did the United Nations Respond to the Demolition in East Jerusalem?
In response, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini published an angry post on his account, stating among other things: “A new level of open and deliberate defiance of international law, including the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, by the State of Israel.”
Lazzarini added: “Early this morning, Israeli forces raided the UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem, a site belonging to the United Nations. Bulldozers entered the compound and began demolishing buildings inside it, under the supervision of members of Knesset and a government minister. This is an unprecedented attack on a UN agency and its premises. Like all UN member states and countries committed to a rules-based international order, Israel is obliged to protect and respect the immunity of UN facilities… There is no room for exceptions. This must serve as a warning sign. What is happening today to UNRWA will happen tomorrow to any international organization or diplomatic mission, whether in the occupied Palestinian territory or anywhere else in the world. International law has been under increasing attack for far too long, and it risks becoming irrelevant in the absence of a response from member states.
