Israeli forces have begun bulldozing buildings inside the headquarters of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, in occupied East Jerusalem, according to reporting from Al Jazeera and statements cited from the agency and Palestinian officials. The move forced staff out of the Sheikh Jarrah compound and added another flashpoint to Israel’s widening campaign against aid bodies operating in Gaza and the West Bank.
UNRWA said Israeli forces confiscated staff devices before ordering personnel out of the headquarters. The agency called the action an unprecedented attack and said it amounted to a serious violation of international law and of the privileges and immunities of the United Nations. The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority also condemned the demolitions, warning that the episode formed part of a deliberate escalation against UNRWA and an attempt to weaken the system that protects Palestinian refugees.
Al Jazeera reported that the action followed a broader clampdown on humanitarian organizations. Israeli authorities have revoked the licences of 37 aid groups, including Doctors Without Borders and the Norwegian Refugee Council, after they failed to comply with new regulations requiring extensive disclosure of staff, funding and operations. Israeli officials say the law is intended to regulate organizations working in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
The demolition also arrived amid heightened political and legal pressure around UNRWA’s role. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said Israeli lawmakers and a government minister were present at the site and described the move as part of a wider effort to erase the Palestine Refugee identity. He warned that if this could happen to UNRWA, it could happen to other international organizations or diplomatic missions as well.
Israel has accused UNRWA of pro-Palestinian bias and of ties to Hamas, allegations the agency denies. The Foreign Ministry said the demolition was being carried out under a new law banning the organization. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who said he accompanied crews to the headquarters, called the day historic.
The East Jerusalem compound has been at the center of a legal and political fight for months. Israel’s parliament passed a law in October 2024 banning UNRWA from operating in Israel and barring Israeli officials from contact with the agency. That law was amended in December to prevent electricity or water supply to UNRWA facilities, and Israeli authorities seized the occupied East Jerusalem offices last month.
The latest bulldozing deepens the confrontation over how humanitarian assistance will function in territory already affected by war, displacement and diplomatic disputes over East Jerusalem’s status. The UN regards the city’s eastern part as occupied; Israel considers all of Jerusalem its capital.
