UNRWA Closes Jerusalem Headquarters Amid Israeli Ban

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) announced on Tuesday the closure of its headquarters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of eastern Jerusalem. The decision follows Israeli legislative measures banning UNRWA's activities within the country, marking a significant shift in the agency’s operations.

Key departments, including legal, communications, and external relations, as well as the commissioner-general’s office, are being relocated to locations outside Israel, according to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hadath network. Palestinian employees at the Sheikh Jarrah facility have been given 12 months to secure alternative employment.

The closure comes in the wake of the Israeli Knesset’s October approval of legislation prohibiting UNRWA’s operations within Israel. Co-sponsor of the law, Knesset member Dan Illouz, called the move a “historic moment,” stating, “The evacuation of UNRWA offices from Jerusalem is the end of the era of disgrace in which Israel allowed an anti-Israeli organization to operate in the heart of our capital.”

The legislation was prompted by allegations of UNRWA personnel’s involvement in Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which left over 1,200 dead. Israel has accused the agency of harboring Hamas operatives and facilitating terrorist activities, including housing a Hamas server farm under its Gaza headquarters and allowing terror tunnels beneath UNRWA schools.

UNRWA, established in 1949 to assist Palestinian refugees, denies accusations of ties to terrorism and insists on its neutrality. However, Israeli officials and watchdog groups have criticized the agency for perpetuating the refugee status of Palestinians and glorifying violence against Israel through its educational programs.

David Mencer, spokesman for Israel’s Public Diplomacy Directorate, emphasized Israel’s position: “UNRWA is useless at aid distribution, useless at education, except glorifying suicide bombers and encouraging Jew-killing. Israel sees no role whatsoever for UNRWA in Gaza after this war ends.”

As the agency relocates its operations, its role in the Middle East remains deeply contested, with critics questioning its future relevance in the region. Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for updates on Israel and international affairs.