UN Chief Slams Israeli Demolition of UNRWA Facility in East Jerusalem

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned Israel’s demolition of structures within the headquarters of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in occupied East Jerusalem.

In a statement delivered at a news conference on Tuesday, Guterres’ spokesperson, Farhan Haq, said the UN chief denounced “in the strongest terms” the actions taken by Israeli authorities at the UNRWA compound in Sheikh Jarrah.

Haq stressed that UN premises are protected under international law, describing the demolition as unacceptable and inconsistent with Israel’s obligations. He noted that the actions violate the inviolability and immunity of United Nations facilities as outlined in the UN Charter and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.

According to the statement, Guterres views the demolition as part of continued escalatory measures targeting UNRWA, warning that such actions undermine the work of the agency and international legal norms governing the protection of UN operations.