Jerusalem: Israeli police removed the United Nations flag from the compound of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in occupied East Jerusalem and raised the Israeli flag in its place, the agency's commissioner-general said Monday.
According to Anadolu Agency, the UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini reported on social media platform X that Israeli police, accompanied by municipal officials, forcibly entered the UNRWA compound. The police brought motorcycles, trucks, and forklifts, cutting all communications and seizing furniture, IT equipment, and other property. The UN flag was pulled down and replaced with an Israeli flag.
The headquarters of UNRWA, located in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, had been vacated earlier this year following an Israeli decision. Lazzarini described the Israeli action as a disregard of Israel's obligation as a UN Member State to protect and respect the inviolability of UN premises.
Lazzarini noted that UNRWA personnel were forced to vacate the compound after months of harassment, which included arson attacks, hateful demonstrations, intimidation, and anti-UNRWA legislation passed by the Israeli parliament. He emphasized that the compound retains its status as UN premises, immune from interference, regardless of domestic actions.
Israel is a party to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the UN, which makes UN premises inviolable and immune from search or seizure. Lazzarini warned that allowing such actions represents a challenge to international law and sets a dangerous precedent for UN operations worldwide.
UNRWA was established over 70 years ago by the UN General Assembly to assist Palestinians displaced from their land. The agency has been facing financial difficulties since Israel launched a defamation campaign against it, alleging staff involvement in the Oct. 7 attacks. Despite requests for information and evidence from the Israeli government, UNRWA has received no response, and several donor nations have suspended or paused funding.