Guterres Condemns Israel’s UNRWA Headquarters Raid
- Israeli police raided the former headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem.The building,...
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned the raid, stating it violates international agreements protecting UN property. He called on Israel to restore the sanctity of UNRWA facilities and...
- UNRWA had operated from the Sheikh Jarrah headquarters as 1951.
Here’s a summary of teh news article:
Israeli Police Raid UNRWA Headquarters in East Jerusalem
Israeli police raided the former headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem.The building, though vacated by UNRWA earlier this year due to an Israeli government ban on its operations in East Jerusalem, still belongs to the UN and is legally protected.
UN Condemnation
UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned the raid, stating it violates international agreements protecting UN property. He called on Israel to restore the sanctity of UNRWA facilities and refrain from further actions. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini described the action as a challenge to international law and a disregard for Israel’s obligations as a UN member state.
Background
UNRWA had operated from the Sheikh Jarrah headquarters as 1951. Israel banned the agency’s work in east Jerusalem through legislation passed by the Knesset. Israel alleges that some UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7th attacks.