Israeli government has defied international law and sent bulldozers to demolish UNRWA headquarters buildings ,a United Nations site,in East Jerusalem on Tuesday morning.
The Commissioner-General of UNRWA has confirmed that Israeli forces and bulldozers accompanied by lawmakers including a minister stormed their offices and begun to demolish buildings.
"A new level of open & deliberate defiance of international law, including of the privileges & immunities of the United Nations, by the State of Israel.
"Early this morning, Israeli forces stormed the UNRWA Headquarters, a United Nations site, in East Jerusalem.
“Bulldozers entered the compound & began demolishing buildings inside it under the watch of lawmakers & a member of the government,” said Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA on social media platform X.
Lazzarini has described Israeli government actions as an attack against United Nations and also mentioned that it continues with targeting UN centres across East Jerusalem with an intention to expunge Palestinians identity.
"This constitutes an unprecedented attack against a United Nations agency & its premises.
"Like all UN Member States & countries committed to the international rule-based order, Israel is obliged to protect & respect the inviolability of UN premises.
"This comes in the wake of other steps taken by Israeli authorities to erase the Palestine Refugee identity.
"On January 12, Israeli forces stormed into an UNRWA health centre in East Jerusalem & ordered it to close.
“Water + power supplies to UNRWA facilities - including health & education buildings - are also scheduled to be cut in the coming weeks,” he added.
He also pointed out that this is a direct result of legislation passed by the Israeli parliament in December, which stepped up existing anti-UNRWA laws adopted in 2024.
He stated that these actions, together with previous arson attacks & a large-scale disinformation campaign, fly in the face of the ruling in October by the International Court of Justice, which restated that Israel is obliged under international law to facilitate UNRWA's operations, not hinder or prevent them. The court also stressed that Israel has no jurisdiction over East Jerusalem.
He further stated that what is happening at UNRWA will happen anywhere around the world as long as the UN member states keep quiet.
"There can be no exceptions. 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.
“International law has come under increasing attack for too long & is risking irrelevancy in the absence of response by Member States,” concluded Lazzarini.