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The Jerusalem Governorate said Tuesday that Israeli authorities demolished mobile offices inside the UNRWA compound in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem, calling it a dangerous escalation and a violation of the legal immunity afforded to U.N. facilities.
This was underscored by the occupation forces’ removal of the United Nations flag and the raising of the Israeli flag inside the compound, under the pretext of lacking a permit, in a blatant violation of the sanctity of international institutions.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the governorate said the UNRWA compound in Jerusalem has remained under United Nations authority and enjoys immunity from any form of interference or executive, administrative, judicial or legislative measures, in accordance with the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, as affirmed by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The government stressed that the Israeli occupation has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, nor over the U.N. institutions operating there.
The governorate said the attack is part of a systematic and ongoing escalation against UNRWA, following notifications to the agency of the intention of service companies, including electricity and water providers, to cut supplies to a number of its facilities in occupied East Jerusalem.
This was compounded by a raid carried out by occupation forces on the 12th of the current month at UNRWA’s health center and the issuance of an order to temporarily close it, even though it serves refugees and constitutes their primary source of basic health care.
The governorate said the escalation was preceded by months of harassment and violations targeting UNRWA, including deliberate arson attacks during 2024, inciting and intimidating demonstrations, a broad disinformation campaign, and anti-UNRWA legislation enacted by the Israeli occupation in clear violation of its international obligations.
These measures forced agency staff to evacuate the compound at the beginning of last year, in addition to the confiscation of furniture, information technology equipment and other property.
The Jerusalem Governorate said the actions constitute a direct targeting of a U.N. humanitarian agency that enjoys a broad international consensus regarding its vital and irreplaceable role and that serves approximately 192,000 Palestinian refugees in the governorate.
It said the measures obstruct the implementation of the mandate granted to UNRWA by the United Nations General Assembly and place full responsibility for their consequences on the Israeli occupation, as the occupying power, within the framework of its continued efforts to erase the refugee issue and their inalienable right of return in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions.
Israeli measures against the UNRWA compound in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem have escalated in recent months, ranging from confiscation orders and raids to demolition operations carried out within the headquarters.
On Oct. 11, 2024, reports carried by Anadolu Agency said Israel had decided to confiscate UNRWA’s headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah in preparation for a settlement housing project reportedly comprising 1,440 units, which was said to remain in the “preparatory stages.”
The report also noted that, on May 30, the authorities had issued a decision ordering UNRWA to vacate the premises within 30 days, citing alleged land-related licensing procedures.
On Dec. 8, 2025, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “strongly” condemned what he described as the Israeli authorities’ “unauthorized entry” into the United Nations compound in Sheikh Jarrah, stressing that U.N. premises are “inviolable” and urging Israel to take immediate steps to ensure their sanctity.
The condemnation came after reports of a raid on the compound during which the U.N. flag was replaced with the Israeli flag.
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