Israel Demolishes UNRWA Headquarters in Jerusalem

Israeli police, engineering forces, and inspectors from the Israel Land Authority evacuated and began demolishing the former headquarters of UNRWA this morning at Ammunition Hill (Givat HaTachmoshet) in northern Jerusalem. At the conclusion of the operation, an Israeli flag was raised over the site, which for years symbolized the UN agency’s presence in the heart of the capital.

Israeli flag replacing UNRWA's at site (Used in accordance with 27a)

The move implements Israeli legislation ending UNRWA’s activities inside Israel. The compound served as the organization’s central headquarters for Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria. Although UNRWA ceased official operations at the site about a year ago, authorities said it remained unlawfully occupied, prompting enforcement action.

Israeli officials have linked the enforcement to security findings revealed since the start of the war. According to Israeli security bodies, ties between UNRWA personnel and the terrorist organization Hamas were exposed, including allegations that senior figures within the agency were directly involved in the October 7 massacre. In addition, Israeli forces reported locating underground tunnels and terrorist infrastructure beneath UNRWA facilities in the Gaza Strip.

The demolition follows a 2024 law passed by the Knesset ending UNRWA’s activity in Israel, which grants the Israel Land Authority authority to take control of and clear properties used by the organization. Officials said the authority completed the takeover of the land this morning and began demolishing the buildings. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the move was “not the result of any new policy, but rather the implementation of existing Israeli legislation concerning UNRWA-Hamas,” adding that “the compound does not enjoy any immunity, and the seizure of this compound by Israeli authorities was carried out in accordance with both Israeli and international law.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir arrived at the site during the demolition. “This is a historic day, a day of celebration, and a very important day for governance in Jerusalem. For years, terror supporters were here, and today they are being removed along with everything they built. This is what will be done to every terror supporter,” he said.

Knesset member Yulia Malinovsky, who initiated the legislation to end UNRWA’s operations, also visited the site. “Shehecheyanu, and we have reached this moment. This is happening because of the laws I initiated to remove UNRWA from Israel. Redemption has come to Zion,” she said.

In December 2025, the Knesset voted to disconnect UNRWA facilities from water and electricity. Less than two weeks ago, Israeli forces evacuated an additional UNRWA facility in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City.

The Israel Land Authority said the land will return to state management, undergo new planning, and be marketed for public use. Officials added that a historic building on the site, the Police School, will be preserved. The operation was carried out with police assistance and in coordination with the Foreign Ministry, the National Security Council, and the Jerusalem municipality.

The action effectively ends UNRWA’s footprint at one of its most prominent Jerusalem sites, with Israeli officials indicating that further steps remain possible under the existing legal framework.