Israel Demolishes UNRWA Headquarters in East Jerusalem, Sparking Outrage

UN condemns the demolition of its relief agency’s East Jerusalem headquarters as illegal, while Israel cites domestic laws banning UNRWA operations.

Written by: Supriya Kadu

Edited by: Rajan Mhatre

Last Updated: January 21, 2026

Summary: UN agency buildings were demolished by Israeli forces; the UN and others call it unprecedented and illegal.

Israeli forces tore down the main buildings of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem, on Tuesday. The move triggered global outrage and cranked up tensions in a region already on edge.

At dawn, bulldozers rolled into the empty compound, backed by Israeli security. For decades, that spot was UNRWA’s base in Jerusalem — a hub for aid storage and relief work. The demolition crew ripped down the structures, swapped the UN flag for Israel’s, and right-wing Israeli ministers celebrated, calling it a “historic day.” For them, this was a statement about Israel’s approach to the UN agency.

The United Nations didn’t mince words. They called the demolition an unprecedented assault, saying Israel trampled international law and the special protections reserved for UN sites. Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the act, demanding that Israel stop immediately and hand the property back to the UN.

Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, said this wasn’t just an attack on buildings — it was an attack on the agency’s neutral, humanitarian mission. Those buildings, he pointed out, were crucial for getting aid into the West Bank and Gaza. Lazzarini warned that this sets a dangerous standard for how international organisations might be treated in future conflicts.

Israel says it’s just following new laws passed in 2024 and expanded last year, which ban UNRWA from operating on Israeli territory. Officials, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, insist the site no longer qualifies for diplomatic protection. They also claim there were links between some former UNRWA staff and militant groups — accusations both the agency and the UN reject.

It’s not just the UN sounding the alarm. Countries around the world and human rights groups called the demolition a violation of international rules meant to protect humanitarian and diplomatic sites. The Palestine Liberation Organisation slammed Israel for attacking the UN’s role in the region, and Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry denounced the action, voicing full support for UNRWA.

This demolition just adds more fuel to the fire in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It comes as Israel tightens restrictions on aid agencies and throws the future of relief work in the region into even more doubt. With peace talks going nowhere and tensions persisting, protecting civilians and getting help to people who need it just got even harder.