TEL AVIV, January 20. /TASS/. Israel insists that its decision to seize and demolish the former headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Jerusalem is legitimate, the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
"The compound does not enjoy any immunity and the seizure of this compound by Israeli authorities was carried out in accordance with both Israeli and international law," it said. "Today’s move does not constitute a new policy, but rather the implementation of existing Israeli legislation concerning UNRWA."
UNRWA’s activity was prohibited in Israel a year ago and the compound had not been used for a long time. "The State of Israel owns the Jerusalem compound in which the Israel Land Authority is operating today. Even prior to the passage of legislation in January 2025, UNRWA had already ceased its operations at this site and no longer had any UN personnel or UN activity there," the ministry stated.
The Israeli side once again claimed that UNWRA was linked to the radical Palestinian movements Hamas and Islamic Jihad. "UNWRA employees participated in the October 7th massacre and the kidnapping of Israelis. Numerous employees within the organization are Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists, and the organization’s infrastructure has been used for tunnel construction, rocket fire, and terrorist activities," the Israeli foreign ministry pointed out.
The Kan state television reported earlier in the day that Israeli authorities have begun demolishing UNWRA’s former headquarters in Jerusalem.
On October 28, 2024, the Knesset (Israel’s unicameral parliament) passed a law banning the activities of UNRWA in the country. The law prohibits UNRWA from maintaining offices, providing services, or engaging in any activities, directly or indirectly, within Israeli territory. The bill was drafted following reports about the alleged participation of the agency's employees in the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel has repeatedly claimed that many UNRWA employees were linked to the radical movement’s armed wing.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has condemned Israel’s decision to demolish the UNWRA compound and called on the Israeli government to stop bulldozing the buildings, restore them and return under the United Nation’s control.