The demolition of the UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem has drawn strong condemnation from senior United Nations officials, who describe the act as an unprecedented attack on the UN and a serious breach of international law. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that the demolition represents a new level of open and deliberate defiance of international law by Israel, emphasizing that UN premises are protected under international legal frameworks, including the privileges and immunities granted to the United Nations.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the demolition in the strongest terms, reiterating that the compound remains inviolable UN property and is immune from any form of interference. He described the continued actions against UNRWA as wholly unacceptable and called on Israel to immediately halt the demolition and restore the compound to the United Nations without delay.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, also expressed outrage over the incident, warning that it marks a sharp escalation in tensions between Israeli authorities and UNRWA. His office highlighted a broader pattern of attacks on humanitarian and UN actors attempting to deliver assistance, noting that such actions further undermine humanitarian operations in the region.
Recent incidents have heightened these concerns, including the forced closure of an UNRWA health centre in East Jerusalem in mid-January, during which staff reported being terrified. Plans to cut water and electricity to additional UNRWA facilities, including those providing health care and education, have also been announced, raising fears of further disruption to essential services.
According to UNRWA, these developments stem from legislation passed by the Israeli parliament in December that intensified earlier anti-UNRWA laws adopted in 2024. The agency has also faced repeated attacks, including arson incidents, which it attributes to a sustained disinformation campaign targeting its work and mandate.
UN officials stressed that these actions run counter to international legal obligations, recalling a ruling by the International Court of Justice that affirmed Israel’s duty to facilitate UNRWA’s operations and clarified that Israel has no jurisdiction over East Jerusalem. Lazzarini warned that the targeting of UNRWA sets a dangerous precedent, cautioning that other international organizations and diplomatic missions could face similar treatment if international law continues to be disregarded without a firm response from UN Member States.
