UN condemns Israel for storming UNRWA compound in East Jerusalem
According to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Israel broke international law by storming the compound and interfering with UN property and operations.
The United Nations (UN) has condemned Israel for storming a UNRWA compound in East Jerusalem and asserting its sovereignty over the site, despite international rules safeguarding UN premises.
Israeli police forcibly entered the Sheikh Jarrah compound on Monday before seizing critical equipment, furniture and other property. The forces also removed the UN flag from the premises and replaced it with an Israeli flag, asserting authority over the site.
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According to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Israel broke international law by storming the compound and interfering with UN property and operations.
"I strongly condemn today's unauthorised entry into the UN Sheikh Jarrah compound held by UNWRA in occupied East Jerusalem by Israeli authorities. This compound is inviolable and immune from any other form of interference," Guterres said in a statement on X.
Further, the UN chief urged Israel to reverse its actions at the UNRWA compound, respect the legal protections that make UN premises off-limits to interference and stop any further operations targeting those facilities.
"I urge Israel to immediately take all necessary steps to restore, preserve & uphold the inviolability of UNRWA premises & to refrain from taking any further action concerning these premises," he said.
Guterres' statements were echoed by UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini, who, in an earlier statement, described Israel's actions as a blatant disregard of its obligations as a UN member state.
"Israel is a party to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the UN. The Convention makes UN premises inviolable - in other words, immune from search or seizure - and makes UN property and assets immune from legal process," he said.
"The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has also underscored that Israel is obliged to cooperate with UNRWA and other UN agencies."
According to Lazzarini, if such an incident is allowed to go unchallenged, it would weaken international law and set a dangerous precedent.
"There can be no exceptions. To allow this represents a new challenge to international law, one that creates a dangerous precedent anywhere else the UN is present across the world," he said.
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