United Nations May 22: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned Israel’s reported takeover of a former UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) facility in occupied East Jerusalem, where a military base has now been established, describing the move as a violation of international law and UN protections.
According to UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, Israeli authorities have converted the UNRWA compound in the Sheikh Jarrah area into a military installation, despite its continued designation as United Nations premises. He said the development represents a serious breach of the inviolability of UN property and personnel under international law.
“The UN Relief and Works Agency is an integral part of the United Nations, and the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound remains United Nations premises,” Dujarric told reporters. He added that the actions taken are “unprecedented and escalatory,” and undermine the legal protections granted to UN facilities worldwide.
Dujarric further stated that the State of Israel does not have the authority to exercise sovereign powers in any part of the occupied Palestinian territory. He said Israel is legally obligated to end its “unlawful presence” in the territory “as soon as possible.”
The UN response comes amid heightened tensions surrounding UNRWA’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territories, where the agency has played a central role in providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees.
The development in East Jerusalem is likely to intensify international debate over the status of UN facilities in conflict zones and the broader legal framework governing occupied territories.