Fire caused by Israeli terrorist on the premises of the UNRWA headquarters in Jerusalem, Palestine. Photo: The Cradle
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced on 9 May that it is shutting down its headquarters in Jerusalem after Israeli settlers carried out an arson attack on its building in the occupied city.
This was the second settler attack on the UNRWA building in less than a week, according to the agency’s general commissioner, Phillipe Lazzarini.
“Our director, with the help of other staff, had to put out the fire themselves as it took the Israeli fire extinguishers and police a while before they turned up. This is an outrageous development. Once again, the lives of UN staff were at serious risk. In light of this second appalling incident in less than a week, I have taken the decision to close down our compound until proper security is restored,” Lazzarini said.
Video footage on social media showed the UNRWA building in flames as settlers were heard cheering in the background. There were no injuries, but the fires caused significant damage to property, according to WAFA news agency.
Just two days earlier, settlers attacked the same headquarters, throwing stones at UN staff members “under the watch of the Israeli police,” Lazzarini added.
“The perpetrators of these attacks must be investigated, and those responsible must be held accountable. Anything less will set a new dangerous standard,” he said, adding that settlers have continuously attacked and harassed UNRWA staff for months. “On several occasions, Israeli extremists threatened our staff with guns.”
Settlers have been staging violent and provocative protests outside UNRWA headquarters for the past two months.
The UN agency has been operating in support of Palestinian refugees and internally displaced Palestinians since 1950. The organization provides education, health care, and other services. In recent years, it has suffered a severe lack of funding for its global operations.
After Operation Al-Aqsa Flood in October, Israel accused UNRWA staff members of taking part in the attack.
Tel Aviv has yet to provide any evidence of its claims, which were reportedly obtained through torture. Nevertheless, the Israeli government has been pushing forward with a smear campaign that seeks to dismantle the organization.
UNRWA Staffers Tortured by Israeli Troops to Falsely Admit ‘Hamas Links’
In late March, Israel put forth a proposal to the UN for the dismantlement of UNRWA in exchange for allowing more humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. UN officials said the plan was not feasible and would hinder aid operations across Gaza.
The Cradle columnist William Van Wagenen noted in February that Israel’s current campaign against UNRWA is part of a years-long Israeli campaign to undermine the organization and stifle its upholding of the Palestinian right of return.
“This concerted effort to undermine UNRWA is nothing short of a calculated strategy to exert control over the narrative surrounding Palestinian refugees and to once again reshape the demographics in Palestine.”
Over 180 UNRWA staff members have been killed by Israel in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war in October.
