Israeli authorities have demolished the Jerusalem headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa), sparking widespread condemnation from international bodies and Palestinian leaders. The facility, which had been largely unused for over a year due to security threats and incitement, was cleared by Israeli bulldozers accompanied by police in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
According to Unrwa Director Roland Friedrich, the agency had received advance notice that demolition crews would arrive at its East Jerusalem headquarters. The compound had been the subject of ongoing tensions, with Israeli settlers and right-wing activists having protested outside Unrwa's office in Jerusalem just a few months prior.
Israel has long accused Unrwa of collaborating with Hamas, a charge denied by the agency. The demolition is the latest step in Israel's campaign to curtail Unrwa's operations, which have been scaled back significantly since 2023. Last year, Israel banned the agency from functioning on its territory, including East Jerusalem.
Critics argue that the move amounts to a brazen attempt to erase Palestinian identity and undermines international law guarantees protecting humanitarian organizations like Unrwa. Philippe Lazzarini, Unrwa's commissioner general, described the demolition as a "wake-up call" for international bodies and warned that similar tactics could be used against other organizations.
The latest action is part of a broader effort by Israel to tighten controls on humanitarian groups operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. New legislation requires NGOs to dismiss staff accused of supporting boycotts or delegitimizing Israel, sparking concerns about arbitrary restrictions on aid workers.
As the conflict rages on, Unrwa's operations have been marked by repeated attacks on its personnel, with over 380 colleagues killed since the start of the conflict. The US has cut and restored funding to the agency in recent years, but its future remains uncertain amid Israel's ongoing campaign against it.
According to Unrwa Director Roland Friedrich, the agency had received advance notice that demolition crews would arrive at its East Jerusalem headquarters. The compound had been the subject of ongoing tensions, with Israeli settlers and right-wing activists having protested outside Unrwa's office in Jerusalem just a few months prior.
Israel has long accused Unrwa of collaborating with Hamas, a charge denied by the agency. The demolition is the latest step in Israel's campaign to curtail Unrwa's operations, which have been scaled back significantly since 2023. Last year, Israel banned the agency from functioning on its territory, including East Jerusalem.
Critics argue that the move amounts to a brazen attempt to erase Palestinian identity and undermines international law guarantees protecting humanitarian organizations like Unrwa. Philippe Lazzarini, Unrwa's commissioner general, described the demolition as a "wake-up call" for international bodies and warned that similar tactics could be used against other organizations.
The latest action is part of a broader effort by Israel to tighten controls on humanitarian groups operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. New legislation requires NGOs to dismiss staff accused of supporting boycotts or delegitimizing Israel, sparking concerns about arbitrary restrictions on aid workers.
As the conflict rages on, Unrwa's operations have been marked by repeated attacks on its personnel, with over 380 colleagues killed since the start of the conflict. The US has cut and restored funding to the agency in recent years, but its future remains uncertain amid Israel's ongoing campaign against it.
So they just went ahead and demolished this UN office without even warning Unrwa first? That's some serious overreach by Israeli authorities if you ask me. I mean, I get that there have been tensions and protests going on, but destroying an entire facility is not the answer. 
It's like they're trying to send a message or something, but what's the message supposed to be? "We don't care about international law"? 
political. I don't get why the international community isn't doing more to stop this kind of thing from happening. 
. It feels like they're being picked on by Israel for no reason other than they're trying to protect Palestinian lives. I mean, who hasn't seen those protests outside their office in Jerusalem? It's just not fair that the US is cutting and restoring funding to Unrwa like they're some kind of yo-yo 
. The fact that Israeli authorities are trying to erase Palestinian identity by demolishing their headquarters is like, so not cool 
. It's time for us to take a stand and condemn this move publicly 
.
They cant jus erase ppl identity & undermine int'l law. NGO's r gettin stricktn control @ Gaza & WB & its causing alot of harm 2 innocent ppl. I think its time 4 int'l community 2 take action & 4real protect humanitarian orgs like UNRWA. 
I hope the global community keeps up the pressure on Israel to ease tensions and respect humanitarian organizations' work. 
I mean, Unrwa is just trying to help people in need and they're being punished like that?! 
The fact that Israel is trying to erase Palestinian identity by taking away their agency's headquarters is just heartbreaking. 
That's just devastating.
... I mean, what's next? Demolishing schools or hospitals? Israel's been playing hardball with Unrwa for ages, but this latest move feels like a major escalation 
. Can't believe they're trying to erase the identity of an entire people by just... tearing down their HQ 
. And don't even get me started on the new legislation that's gonna restrict aid workers' freedom to speak out 
. It's like Israel's got this huge chip on its shoulder, and it's getting more aggressive all the time 
. Unrwa's been doing some amazing work in Gaza and the West Bank, and this demolition is just gonna push things further into chaos 
... not good for anyone 
that Israel decides to destroy a UN office 
. All this fuss about humanitarian aid is just politics as usual, you know? 
It's not like the US is gonna stick up for them or anything... that funding is always a ticking time bomb. Meanwhile, Israel has every right to crack down on what it perceives as threats to national security 
Can't have NGOs just freelancing around, causing no end of trouble 
. seriously though idk how they think this is gonna make anything better. they're just provoking more violence & suffering. it's like they forgot the whole point of a UN agency is to help ppl 
. Israel's actions are like playing with fire 
they're always finding ways to mess with humanitarian orgs like Unrwa. Like what's next? Destroying their schools or hospitals?! 
. Anyone think this is just another way for Israel to tighten its grip on the West Bank? 
can't blame Unrwa for being "collaborating" though, I mean if Israel's gonna accuse them of supporting Hamas and then bust in with bulldozers... that's like me saying you're a terrible cook just 'cause you served me pizza 
it's all about perspective fam 
. and what's up with these NGOs being 'accused' of supporting boycotts or delegitimizing israel - sounds like a legit way to silence critics to me 
. anyway, let's not forget that Unrwa has been getting some serious heat from israel for ages, it's just a matter of time before someone else gets caught in the crossfire 
And btw, isn't it weird that they're trying to control NGOs from within? Like, doesn't that sound like something a dictatorship would do?