Right-wing Israelis storm UNRWA headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem

By Abdel Raouf Arnaout and Betul Yilmaz

JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL (AA) - A group of right-wing Israelis stormed on Monday the headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in occupied East Jerusalem.

“Today I am proud to liberate the former UNRWA headquarters in central Jerusalem,” Yulia Malinovsky of the right-wing Yisrael Beytenu Party said in a video shared on her X account from inside the complex.

Malinovsky, a Knesset member, linked the raid to the anniversary of Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem.

“The Israeli government, we are here. You are invited to come and see how sovereignty is applied,” she said.

“I’m here inside the headquarters. UNRWA is no longer here. There is no reason for it to return,” said Malinovsky.

There was no immediate comment from UNRWA on the settler raid.

In October 2024, Israel’s Knesset passed two laws banning UNRWA from operating in the occupied Palestinian territory, including measures to strip the agency of its privileges and prohibit any interaction with it. These laws went into effect on Jan. 30.

Israel has accused several UNRWA employees of participating in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack – allegations the agency has strongly denied. The UN has reiterated that UNRWA remains committed to neutrality and continuing its humanitarian mission.

Established in 1949, UNRWA has served as a critical lifeline for Palestinian refugees, supporting nearly 5.9 million people across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.