UN Condemns Israel's 'Unprecedented Attack' as Demolition of UNRWA Site Begins
The United Nations has issued a strong condemnation of what it describes as "an unprecedented attack" by Israel, after heavy machinery began demolition work at a compound in East Jerusalem that had been used for decades by UNRWA, the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees.
Demolition Work and Israeli Justification
Diggers and heavy equipment smashed through structures on the site, including a former barracks building, as part of a plan to level the entire compound. Israeli authorities intend to eventually turn the area into a new Israeli settlement. During the demolition, Israel's national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited the site and expressed clear pride in the operation, calling it "a very important day for the governance in Jerusalem."
The Israeli government has long alleged that UNRWA is "infested" with members of Hamas, including individuals who participated in the attacks of 7 October 2023. Oren Marmorstein, spokesperson for the Israeli foreign affairs minister, claimed that "numerous employees within the organisation are Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists" and described UNRWA as having degraded into "a greenhouse for terrorism."
Israel's foreign ministry stated that "the seizure of this compound by Israeli authorities was carried out in accordance with both Israeli and international law," arguing that the site belongs to the Israeli state and that UN immunity no longer applies because the compound is vacant and unused.
UN and International Response
In response, UNRWA issued a statement declaring the demolition to be "a new level of open and deliberate defiance of international law." The agency has consistently denied any systemic link to Hamas and says it has investigated all allegations of wrongdoing. A UN official dismissed Israel's claims as "absolute nonsense," adding, "They can say what they like, but it doesn't make it real."
The site, located in East Jerusalem, had been used by UNRWA since 1951, shortly after the agency was established. Under most interpretations of international law, East Jerusalem is considered occupied territory, having been seized by Israel during the 1967 war. The United Nations maintains that, under a 1946 charter, such sites are "inviolable" and cannot be entered without UN permission.
The Palestinian Authority's foreign ministry condemned the demolition as a "dangerous escalation, a blatant violation of international law and an infringement of the privileges and immunities of United Nations organisations." This incident follows Israeli legislation in 2024 to ban UNRWA's operations, which led to staff leaving the compound a year ago—a move widely contested outside Israel as a breach of international law and the UN charter.
Broader Tensions and Historical Context
This demolition is another example of the ongoing tension between Israel and the United Nations, which Israel views as institutionally biased against it. Recent disputes include Israel's rejection of UN claims of famine in Gaza and allegations by a UN committee that Israel is committing genocide, which provoked a furious backlash from Jerusalem.
Hakam Shahwan, UNRWA's former chief of staff, told Sky News: "This is another message to the world that Israel is the only country that can demolish international law and get away with it. It's extremely sad and frustrating. UNRWA must remain strong and united in the face of this criminal act."
The demolition comes after Israeli authorities entered the site about a month ago, removed equipment, and raised an Israeli flag, at which time it was claimed that UNRWA owed taxes to the municipality. The United Nations still pays Jordan to lease the land, but Israel does not accept the legality of that agreement.
