Israel Demolishes UNRWA Headquarters in Jerusalem, Escalating Tensions with Aid Agency
Israel has begun demolishing the Jerusalem headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), accompanied by the firing of tear gas at a UN vocational school in Qalandia, in the West Bank. The move marks a significant escalation in Israel’s ongoing campaign against the agency, which it accuses – without conclusive evidence – of collaborating with Hamas.
The demolition, which commenced early Tuesday morning, follows Israel’s decision last year to ban UNRWA from operating within its territory. The agency provides critical aid to millions of Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon.
According to Roland Friedrich, UNRWA’s director in the West Bank, demolition crews arrived at the East Jerusalem headquarters accompanied by police. While the facility had been largely unused for nearly a year due to security concerns, Israeli forces proceeded to confiscate equipment and expel private security personnel. An Israeli flag was subsequently raised over the compound, located in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, with some Israeli politicians celebrating the event. Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, hailed it as “a historic day.”
Israeli authorities defended the demolition, asserting that UNRWA had already ceased operations at the site and that the compound held no legal immunity. “The seizure of this compound by Israeli authorities was carried out in accordance with both Israeli and international law,” a statement from the foreign ministry read.
However, Friedrich vehemently refuted this claim, labeling it a violation of international law designed to protect such facilities. “What we saw today is the culmination of two years of incitement and measures against UNRWA in East Jerusalem,” he stated.
Founded in 1949, UNRWA currently serves approximately 2.5 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem, alongside an additional 3 million refugees in Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon. The agency’s work encompasses maintaining infrastructure in refugee camps, operating schools, and providing essential healthcare services.
The current actions against UNRWA stem from accusations made in the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. Israeli settlers and right-wing activists protested outside UNRWA offices in Jerusalem, demanding the agency’s closure. These protests were fueled by government allegations of collaboration between UNRWA staff and Hamas in Gaza, leading to a systematic campaign of obstruction and harassment by Israeli military and authorities.
In 2024, a US intelligence report, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, assessed with “low confidence” that a small number of UNRWA staff may have been involved in the October 7th attack, but acknowledged it could not independently verify the assessment. Despite this lack of definitive proof, several countries, including the United States, paused funding to UNRWA. The US initially cut funding in 2018 under the Trump administration, reinstated it in 2021 under President Biden, and then suspended contributions again in 2024.
UNRWA has reported that 382 of its colleagues have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza since the start of the ongoing conflict.
Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s commissioner general, issued a stark warning, stating, “This must be a wake-up call. What happens today to UNRWA will happen tomorrow to any other international organisation or diplomatic mission, whether in the Occupied Palestinian Territory or anywhere around the world.”
The demolition of the Jerusalem headquarters is part of a broader political and financial campaign against the agency. Israel’s actions have coincided with increased restrictions on humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza and the West Bank. New legislation mandates that NGOs dismiss staff accused of “delegitimizing Israel” or supporting boycotts and submit detailed staff lists to maintain operational licenses. Dozens of organizations, including Médecins Sans Frontières and Care, have received warnings that their licenses will expire at the end of 2025. Aid groups have characterized these measures as arbitrary, predicting they will disproportionately impact a civilian population already facing a severe humanitarian crisis.
Lazzarini further emphasized that the demolition represents “the wake of other steps taken by Israeli authorities to erase the Palestine refugee identity.” The agency’s future remains uncertain as it faces unprecedented challenges to its operations and its very existence.
