UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has condemned Israel's decision to establish a military complex on the former compound of UNRWA in occupied East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood.
Israel took over the location two years ago and plans to build a defence complex, museum and enlistment office where the headquarters of UNRWA – the UN agency for Palestinian refugees – once stood.
In a joint statement at the weekend, Israel’s Defence Ministry and the Jerusalem municipality said the complex would be built on a 3.6 hectare site as part of efforts to strengthen the defence establishment's presence in Jerusalem.
“These unprecedented and escalatory measures against UNRWA are a breach of the inviolability of United Nations premises,” Mr Guterres said on Wednesday.
The UN said Israel's actions breach an International Court of Justice advisory opinion supporting UNRWA's mandate in occupied Palestine and East Jerusalem, and placing an obligation on Israel to assist the agency’s relief work.
“The state of Israel is not entitled to exercise sovereign powers in any part of the occupied Palestinian territory,” Mr Guterres said. He called for Israel to end its occupation, “rescind its decision” and allow UNRWA to return to Sheikh Jarrah.
Israel made its announcement on Jerusalem Day, which marks the 1967 Israeli capture of East Jerusalem. The date also coincides with Palestinian commemorations of the Nakba, referring to the expulsion or flight of more than 750,000 Palestinians – about two thirds of the population at the time – during the 1947-1949 conflict that accompanied Israel's founding.
Israel has in recent years moved against UNRWA, accusing it of links to Hamas and involvement in militant activity, including the October 7, 2023 attacks. UNRWA dismissed nine employees who “may have” been involved, but Israel proceeded with punitive steps.
In 2024, the Israeli parliament passed two bills that prohibit the agency from operating in occupied territory and banned Israeli authorities from having any contact with it.
Last year, the parliament also passed a law that cuts off water and electricity to UNRWA sites, categorising this provision as “contact”.
UNRWA provides assistance to nearly six million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
