JERUSALEM, Jan 20 (Reuters) – Israel demolished constructions contained in the U.N. Palestinian refugee company’s East Jerusalem compound on Tuesday after seizing the location final 12 months, in an act condemned by the company as a violation of worldwide regulation.
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UNRWA, which has been accused of bias by Israel, has not used the constructing for the reason that begin of final 12 months after Israel ordered it to vacate all its premises and stop its operations.
‘UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK’
A spokesperson for UNRWA, Jonathan Fowler, instructed Reuters that Israeli forces entered the compound round 7 a.m. native time (0500 GMT), pressured out the compound’s safety guards after which introduced in bulldozers to start demolishing buildings inside.
UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini condemned the demolition in an announcement on X, calling it “a brand new degree of open and deliberate defiance of worldwide regulation.”
He stated it was the newest of a collection of Israeli actions in opposition to UNRWA, together with a raid on a medical clinic this month and a plan to chop energy and water to UNRWA amenities within the coming weeks.
Some former UNRWA workers stated the constructions demolished on Tuesday had been used to retailer support for the West Financial institution and Gaza.
“The destruction at the moment by the Israeli occupation is one other message to the world that Israel is the one nation that may demolish worldwide regulation and get away with it,” stated Hakam Shahwan, former chief of workers at UNRWA’s East Jerusalem headquarters.
Israel’s parliament handed a regulation in October 2024 banning the company from working within the nation and prohibiting officers from having contact with the company.
Merchandise 1 of seven A drone view of the stays of the Jerusalem headquarters of the United Nations Reduction and Works Company for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) after the headquarters was demolished by Israeli forces, in East Jerusalem, January 20, 2026. REUTERS/Dedi Hayun
Israel’s far-right Nationwide Safety Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video on social media standing in entrance of the UNRWA compound as a bulldozer started to tear it down.
“It is a historic day, it is a vacation,” stated Ben-Gvir.
ISRAEL ACCUSES UNRWA OF BIAS
UNRWA has fired a number of workers members however stated Israel had not supplied proof for all of the allegations in opposition to its workers.
In his assertion, Lazzarini stated that Israel had performed “a large-scale disinformation marketing campaign” in opposition to UNRWA.
The Israeli overseas ministry stated “the seizure of this compound by Israeli authorities was carried out in accordance with each Israeli and worldwide regulation.”
Israel’s Jerusalem municipality raided the compound final 12 months, saying UNRWA had did not pay property taxes after a number of warnings. UNRWA stated the company had no money owed to the municipality.
The company operates in East Jerusalem, which the U.N. and most nations take into account territory occupied by Israel. Israel considers all Jerusalem to be a part of the nation.
UNRWA additionally operates in Gaza, the West Financial institution and elsewhere within the Center East, offering education, healthcare, social companies and shelter to tens of millions of Palestinians.
Reporting by Pesha Magid and Rami Ayyub; Further reporting by Omri Taasan and Emma Farge, Enhancing by Ros Russell
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