The occupation forces seize and demolish the UNRWA headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah and hoist the Israeli flag, presenting an unprecedented challenge to international law
On Tuesday morning, Israeli authorities announced they took over the UNRWA headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalem. This came after a forced raid and demolition of structures at the site, an action seen as a dangerous and unprecedented escalation against a UN agency protected by international immunity.
The operation took place with Israeli ministers, Knesset members, and officials present. It involved extensive demolitions and the raising of the Israeli flag over the building, amid international condemnation and warnings about serious repercussions for the work of international organizations in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Extensive Raid and Demolition of Agency Facilities
Occupation forces carried out a large-scale raid and demolition at the UNRWA compound in Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalem, which contains the agency's main headquarters.
According to the Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Jerusalem, the forces stormed the site at 7 a.m. with numerous personnel and various teams, accompanied by seven bulldozers of different sizes. They detained guards inside one of the rooms and ordered them to leave immediately before beginning extensive demolitions. These actions affected dozens of facilities, including offices, warehouses, and rooms, as well as a mosque, both stationary and mobile structures.
Israeli special forces also ascended the main tower of the UNRWA headquarters and hoisted the Israeli flag there, a deliberately provocative gesture.
The occupation authorities posted signs on the headquarters' gates, walls, and surrounding barbed wire, reading:
"State of the Land of Israel – No Entry – Violators at Their Own Risk."
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) facilities are situated on roughly 46 dunums in Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. In October 2024, the Israel Land Authority approved a plan to build 1,440 housing units on this land.
The land initially belonged to the Ja'ouni family and was confiscated during the British Mandate under the guise of "public interest." It served as a police station. When Jordan took control of the area, the land was designated as state property and managed by the Jordanian treasury until UNRWA acquired it in 1950 for humanitarian use.
Ben-Gvir and King Oversee the operation
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the UNRWA headquarters and announced that "this is a historic day, a day of celebration, and an important day for imposing sovereignty over the site," according to his statement.
The demolition operation was also overseen by Aryeh King, the deputy mayor of occupied Jerusalem, known for his extreme pro-settlement views.
A guard's Testimony: Raid without warning and threats of arrest
A guard at the UNRWA headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah described the raid, stating: "At precisely 7:00 AM, forces stormed the headquarters without a prior warrant. Special forces and police, supported by seven bulldozers, entered and started demolishing the entire site. They stopped us from retrieving our personal belongings and gave us just three minutes to evacuate, threatening arrest if we failed to comply. They also informed us that no one was allowed to enter the premises and posted a confiscation order around the perimeter of the headquarters."
UN condemns and warns of serious consequences
Willy Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, condemned Israel's demolition of agency buildings in Sheikh Jarrah, describing it as an "unprecedented challenge."
In a post on the X platform, Lazzarini stated: "This is a new level of blatant and deliberate defiance of international law, including the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, by the State of Israel."
He stated: "Early this morning, Israeli forces stormed UNRWA's headquarters in Jerusalem and started demolishing buildings inside, in full view of lawmakers and a government official."
Lazzarini labeled the Israeli operation as "an unprecedented assault on a UN agency and its facilities," highlighting that "Israel is responsible for safeguarding and respecting the sanctity of UN premises." The Commissioner-General characterized these actions as part of a "broad disinformation campaign," warning that: "What is happening to UNRWA today could happen tomorrow to any other international organization or diplomatic mission, whether in the occupied Palestinian territories or elsewhere globally."
Activists: Systematic targeting and attack on the Palestinian presence
Activist Ahmed al-Safadi emphasized that the attacks on UNRWA are not new, noting that they started before October 7th with funding cuts. He explained that the agency was then vilified and falsely accused of ties to Palestinian groups—claims that remain unproven.
He stated: "Following the attack on the Gaza Strip, the occupation authorities increased their attacks on UNRWA facilities over the past two years, even though the agency has been providing vital relief services to Palestinian refugees—such as education and health—since 1948." Al-Safadi noted that the occupation "shut down UNRWA institutions and schools, raised the Israeli flag at its headquarters, assaulted guards, and cut off electricity and water. Today, it destroyed facilities and vehicles owned by the agency, in a move meant to please settlers and the far-right government."
He highlighted that the incident constitutes "a blatant violation of international law, as UNRWA is a UN agency, and it represents a direct attack on the Palestinian presence in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood."
Meanwhile, Jerusalem activist Mohammad Abu al-Hummus stated that the demolished building "offered educational and health services to Palestinian refugees, and food supplies were dispatched from there to the West Bank and Gaza Strip."
He stated, "What occurred today is election propaganda in the occupying state. These individuals were protesting before October 7th to remove this building, and today they have broken all international laws by demolishing it."
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center stated that the raid and confiscation on Tuesday followed a series of decisions and legal actions, most notably:
• In May 2024, Israeli authorities requested that UNRWA vacate its headquarters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, alleging it was occupying the land without Israel Land Authority's approval. They also demanded that UNRWA pay 27 million shekels in unpaid rent for the years it had used the property, viewing this sum as a debt owed by the agency.
• In early October 2024, the 'Israel Land Authority' announced it would seize UNRWA's land in occupied East Jerusalem to facilitate a settlement project with 1,440 housing units.
• In October 2024, the Knesset enacted legislation that bans UNRWA's operations within Israel and prohibits any contact with the agency.
On January 24, 2025, Israel ordered UNRWA to halt its activities in Jerusalem and to vacate all its premises by January 30, 2025.
In February 2025, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the enforcement of this law, which bans UNRWA activities within Israel.
