RAMALLAH, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Tuesday condemned Israel's demolition of structures within the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) compound in East Jerusalem, calling it a "blatant attack" on the United Nations.
The PLO's Department of Refugee Affairs said the move sought to eliminate the UNRWA's humanitarian and political presence in the city. It urged the international community to intervene to prevent the "collapse of the international system."
Witnesses and Palestinian sources said Israeli forces, accompanied by bulldozers, entered the compound earlier on Tuesday to raze mobile offices. After the demolition, the UN flag was removed and replaced with an Israeli flag.
The Israel Land Authority described the operation as an enforcement action against "illegal" structures that violated planning and construction laws. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet, was present at the scene and hailed the day as an "important day for sovereignty in Jerusalem."
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini called the move an "unprecedented attack" and a "deliberate defiance of international law" on X. Hamas also denounced the operation, calling it a "flagrant violation."
Israel has long accused the UNRWA of employing members of Hamas, a claim the agency denies. While Israel considers all of Jerusalem its capital, the UN regards East Jerusalem as occupied territory and views the agency's mandate as protected under international law.
In October 2024, the Israeli parliament passed a law banning the UNRWA, which provides desperately-needed aid to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and other areas, from operating in areas under Israeli jurisdiction, and prohibiting Israeli authorities from maintaining contact or cooperation with the agency, a move the UNRWA and international bodies say violates international law. Israel then amended the law in December 2025 to ban electricity or water to UNRWA facilities.
Last month, Israeli authorities seized the UNRWA's offices in East Jerusalem. ■
