Jan 22, 2026
3 min read
Officials have already forced the closure of UNRWA, whose head is crying that Netanyahu has reached a "new level of violation of international law".
Israel has demolished the headquarters of the United Nations Organization for Palestinian Refugees in Jerusalem
Authorities have forced the closure of UNRWA, whose head lamented that Netanyahu had reached "a new level of flagrant and deliberate disregard for international law."
Israeli authorities on Tuesday began demolishing the Jerusalem building of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).Last year, he ordered an eviction, which left him unable to work and the property became vacant.Already in December, police and city officials invaded the headquarters (located in the Palestinian eastern part of the city, which had been occupied by Israel for decades), removed the UN flag and installed a state of Israel.Now, the demolition marks "a new level of blatant and willful disregard by the Israeli state of international law, including United Nations rights and protections," complained UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini.
Starting this morning, bulldozers have leveled several large buildings and other smaller structures within the complex, where dozens of people previously worked.Some former UNRWA officials claimed that the buildings demolished on Tuesday were used to store humanitarian aid for the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Far-right elements in Benjamin Netanyahu's government took the opportunity to express their joy.National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir went to the site and took a photo next to one of the graves to mark the "historic" day.It’s them or us,” he said) On Tuesday, he expressed hope that “with God’s help, all residents of UNRWA will be expelled, killed and destroyed.”Last year, the city council raided the facility over unpaid taxes, which the agency denies.
The head of UNRWA showed the frame of "undertayed over the UN and its actions" and recalls "to be honored to avoid unfamiliar.Haum Shahvan saw a lot, the main staff of the killed, to the destruction "is a new destruction of the world's legal."
It is the latest in Israel's long-term attack against UNRWA, which escalated after the October 2023 attack by Hamas. Israel accused 12 local workers in Gaza of being among the thousands who participated, and Lazzarini fired nine of them (due to the complexity of the crime) even before the investigation.In October, the International Court of Justice in The Hague concluded that Israel had not shown ties to Hamas or violated the neutrality clause, and ordered it to "facilitate the work of non-governmental organizations and the UN in the occupied Palestinian territories."Appreciate the ineffectiveness of United's infrastructure and its mission."
Netanyahu, however, accuses the group of being "totally harassed" by Hamas, and that they are restricting and condemning its activities, making it clear that it has no place in Gaza.UNRWA provides education, basic health care, assistance in buying food and clothing and microcredit for 1.5 million refugees in Gaza and another 4.4 million in Jordan, the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria.Its mission comes from the UN General Assembly, which changes it every year.In October 2024, the Israeli Parliament approved a law banning the group from operating in the country and its officials from communicating with it.
This was also the message of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, which said in a statement on Tuesday that "UNRWA-Hamas long ago ceased to be a humanitarian organization and became a hotbed of terrorism."Israeli diplomacy also argues that the destroyed complex "does not have any immunity" and that the confiscation "was carried out in accordance with Israeli and international law."
Your subscription is used on another device
Do you want to add another user to your subscription?
If you continue reading on this device, it will not be able to read on other devices.
Arrow Your subscription is being used on another device and you can only access EL PAÍS from one device at a time.
If you want to share your account, change your subscription to premium mode, so you can add another user.Everyone will log in with their own email account, allowing you to personalize your experience in EL PAÍS.
Got a business subscription?To sign up for more accounts, go here.
If you don't know who is using your account, we recommend changing your password here.
If you choose to continue sharing your account, this message will appear on your device and the device of the other person using your account indefinitely, impacting your reading experience.You can view the digital subscription terms and conditions here.
