"UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini condemned the move, describing it as a "new level of open and deliberate defiance of international law, including of the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, by the State of Israel." UNRWA has not used the building since early last year, after Israel ordered the agency to vacate all its premises and halt its operations."
"Israel said the move enforces a law banning UNRWA, claiming some agency staff have ties to militant groups such as Hamas. The United Nations has denied that UNRWA has an anti-Israel bias and said it acted quickly to purge any suspected militants among its staff. "This is a historic day, a day of celebration and a very important day for governance in Jerusalem," Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said. He posted a video of himself at the site as the demolition work began."
Israeli crews bulldozed and demolished buildings that once housed UNRWA staff in occupied East Jerusalem, seized devices, removed private security and raised an Israeli flag over the site. Israel said the action enforces a law banning UNRWA and accused some staff of ties to militant groups such as Hamas. The United Nations denied institutional bias and said it purged suspected militants among staff. UNRWA’s director in the West Bank insisted the compound remains United Nations property protected by UN privileges and immunities. Israel’s National Security Minister celebrated the takeover while the Palestinian Authority and Saudi Arabia condemned the operation.
Read at www.dw.com
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