Overview
- UNRWA said Israeli police with Jerusalem municipal officials forced their way into the Sheikh Jarrah compound early Monday, cut communications, and removed furniture and IT equipment before raising Israel’s flag.
- Israeli police described the action as a municipal debt-collection procedure tied to unpaid property taxes of roughly 11 million shekels, a claim the UN rejects on the grounds of tax exemption and inviolability of UN premises.
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the unauthorized entry and urged Israel to restore and uphold the compound’s inviolability under the UN Charter and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.
- The raid followed a United Nations General Assembly vote renewing UNRWA’s mandate for three years with 151 votes in favor, as several governments and organizations, including Brazil, voiced strong criticism of the operation.
- UNRWA’s East Jerusalem offices have been inactive since 2024 after Israeli legislation banning the agency’s activities, while the organization continues to provide core services to millions of Palestinian refugees despite mounting funding shortfalls.