Demolition of UNRWA compound marks new phase in Israel’s dispute with Palestinian refugee agency
Israeli authorities on Tuesday seized the Jerusalem headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and oversaw the demolition of parts of its compound, intensifying a long-running campaign against the U.N. body that provides aid to Palestinian refugees.
Flanked by bulldozers and heavy machinery, Israeli officials moved into the compound and began tearing down several structures, according to witnesses and video footage from the site. The move represents one of the most dramatic actions yet taken by Israel against UNRWA, an agency that has operated across the region for decades.
UNRWA has historically been one of the largest providers of humanitarian assistance, education and health services to Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. But relations between the agency and Israel have sharply deteriorated, particularly since the start of the Gaza war following the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel in October 2023.
In a statement defending the seizure, Israel’s foreign ministry accused UNRWA of abandoning its humanitarian mandate. “UNRWA has long ceased to be a humanitarian organization and instead serves as a platform that enables terrorism,” said ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein.
UNRWA officials strongly rejected the allegations. Philippe Lazzarini, the agency’s commissioner-general, condemned the demolition as a blatant violation of international law and said the move reflected “open and deliberate defiance” of Israel’s obligations as an occupying power. He warned that dismantling UNRWA’s presence would further destabilize an already fragile humanitarian situation.
Founded in 1949, UNRWA was created to support Palestinians displaced during the wars surrounding Israel’s establishment, as well as their descendants. Israel has long argued that the agency perpetuates the refugee issue rather than resolving it, a claim rejected by the United Nations and most international donors.
Over the past two years, Israel’s parliament has passed legislation severely restricting UNRWA’s activities. The laws stripped the agency of diplomatic immunity, criminalized cooperation with it, and barred its facilities from receiving basic services such as electricity and water. The seizure of its Jerusalem compound appears to be a direct enforcement of those measures.
Israeli officials have repeatedly accused UNRWA’s Gaza operations of being infiltrated by militant groups. Following the October 2023 attack, Israel alleged that a small number of UNRWA employees were involved in the assault. Several donor countries temporarily suspended funding, though many later resumed support after internal U.N. investigations.
Humanitarian groups warn that dismantling UNRWA’s infrastructure risks worsening conditions for millions of Palestinians who rely on the agency for food, shelter, education and medical care. With Gaza facing widespread destruction and displacement, aid organizations say there is no clear alternative capable of replacing UNRWA’s role at scale.
The seizure of the Jerusalem headquarters comes amid broader tensions between Israel and the United Nations, as well as growing international scrutiny of Israel’s conduct in the occupied territories. Legal experts caution that targeting U.N. facilities could deepen Israel’s diplomatic isolation at a time when the conflict shows no signs of easing.