The Israeli authorities on Tuesday began bulldozing buildings of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in East Jerusalem.
The compound includes the local headquarters of the agency, which is the main United Nations Palestinian refugee body.
Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of the UNRWA, said that the demolitions were a “new level of open and deliberate defiance of international law” by Israel.
The demolitions constitute an “unprecedented attack against a United Nations agency”, the organisation said.
The agency said that the demolitions took place “under the watch of [Israeli] lawmakers and a member of the government”, adding that Israel is obligated to protect UN premises.
This morning, Israeli authorities are demolishing #UnitedNations property in #EastJerusalem, yet another live-streamed contravention of their obligations under international law. Just months ago, the ICJ reaffirmed that Israel "may not obstruct the functions of UNRWA in the OPT". pic.twitter.com/wqXvKzcKkH
— Jonathan Whittall (@_jwhittall) January 20, 2026
The demolitions came in the wake of steps taken by the Israeli authorities to “erase the Palestine Refugee identity”, the UN agency said. It added that on January 14, the Israeli forces had stormed a UN health centre in East Jerusalem and ordered it to close.
Water and power supplies to UNRWA facilities, including health and education buildings, are also scheduled to be cut...
