11 Countries Condemn Destruction of UNRWA Headquarters in Jerusalem

Destruction of UNRWA headquarters in UNRWA. (Source: WAFA)

JAKARTA - The foreign ministers of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom strongly condemned the destruction of the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in East Jerusalem by the Israeli authorities on January 20, 2026.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, the foreign ministers said the unprecedented action against the UN agency by the UN Member States marked the latest unacceptable step to undermine its ability to operate.

They urged the Israeli government to comply with its international obligations to ensure the protection and immunity of the UN premises in accordance with the provisions of the 1946 UN General Convention and the UN Charter, and called on the Israeli government, a member of the UN, to stop all destruction.

In their joint statement, they also reaffirmed their full support for UNRWA's important mission to provide essential services and humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.

"We welcome UNRWA's commitment to reform and implementation of the Colonna Report recommendations. UNRWA is a service provider that provides health and education care to millions of Palestinians throughout the region, especially in Gaza, and must be able to operate without restrictions," the statement read, launching WAFA (29/1).

They also reiterated their deep concern regarding the implementation by the Government of Israel of the law adopted by the Knesset in October 2024 and strengthened in December 2025, which prohibits any contact between entities and Israeli state officials with UNRWA, prohibits and de facto prevents the presence of UNRWA in Israel and in Jerusalem including the supply of electricity, water and gas to properties listed under UNRWA.

The statement also urged Israel to ensure international NGOs can operate in Gaza, including by lifting restrictive registration requirements, ensuring the reopening of all crossing points, including the announced plan to reopen the Rafah crossing in both directions, and lifting the ongoing restrictions on the import of humanitarian goods, including those considered to have "dual use" that are essential for humanitarian operations and early recovery.

As previously reported, UNRWA revealed that Israeli forces raided its headquarters on Tuesday, followed by the entry of bulldozers that destroyed buildings in the headquarters complex under the supervision of a member of parliament and government officials.

UNRWA called this "a new level of open and deliberate defiance of international law, including the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, by the State of Israel," as quoted from its website.

"This is an unprecedented attack on a United Nations agency and its compound," UNRWA stressed.

Quoted from CNN, the demolition was carried out by police forces together with law enforcement officers from the Israel Land Authority.

The right-wing Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, who was on the scene, said, "This is a historic day, a day of celebration, and an important day for the restoration of government in Jerusalem. For years, the supporters of this terror have operated here, and today they are removed along with everything they have built."