UN Experts Condemn Israel’s Demolition of East Jerusalem UNRWA Compound
UN Experts Condemn Israel’s Demolition of East Jerusalem UNRWA Compound
——————————
Human rights experts have strongly condemned Israel’s demolition of a UNRWA compound in East Jerusalem, describing it as part of a systemic attack on the United Nations and Palestinian communities, Jurist News reported.
The UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, called the actions “relentless destruction carried out with total impunity” and urged the UN to consider invoking Article 6 of the UN Charter to suspend Israel’s membership.
The demolition, carried out on January 20, 2026, involved Israeli forces and bulldozers storming the UNRWA site in East Jerusalem after sealing surrounding streets, as reported by the Palestinian Wafa News Agency. UNRWA warned that similar actions, including the potential shutdown of the Qalandia training center in the West Bank, could disrupt education for hundreds of students.
Albanese and other experts described the destruction as violating international law and undermining UN efforts to support Palestinian life. The move follows Israel’s October 2024 bill banning UNRWA operations on its territory, widely criticized internationally.
Israeli officials defended the demolition, claiming the site no longer housed UN operations and that it complied with domestic law. The action has drawn condemnation from the UN, EU, and Organization of Islamic Cooperation, highlighting escalating tensions over UN and Palestinian institutions in occupied territories.
