UN and international condemnations following a settler attack on the UNRWA headquarters in Jerusalem

The United Nations, the European Union, and Arab and European countries condemned the attacks by Israeli settlers on the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in occupied East Jerusalem.

On Friday, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres commented on “extremist” settlers setting fire to the UNRWA headquarters, saying that “targeting relief workers and humanitarian assets is unacceptable and must be stopped.”

For his part, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, called for those responsible for the attack to be held accountable. He said in a post on the X platform on Friday that the European Union demands that the perpetrators responsible for the attack on UNRWA buildings in East Jerusalem be held accountable.

He added that the European Union strongly condemns the setting fire to the agency's headquarters by "extremist" Israeli settlers.

"Violent protests escalate"

In this context, Germany on Friday condemned the "escalation of violent protests" against UNRWA, calling on Israel to protect it.

The German Foreign Ministry said on the X platform: “We condemn the escalation of violent demonstrations against UNRWA in East Jerusalem. Israel must ensure the protection of UNRWA facilities and employees in the occupied Palestinian territories.”

"scandalous breach"

On Thursday evening, Jordan condemned the setting fire to the UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem by “extremist” Israeli settlers.

The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs condemned Israeli extremists setting fire to the vicinity of the UNRWA headquarters in occupied Jerusalem.”

In turn, the Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed "the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's condemnation of the blatant attack by Israeli settlers on the UNRWA headquarters in occupied Jerusalem."

For its part, the State of Qatar condemned “in the strongest terms the attack by Israeli settlers on the UNRWA headquarters in occupied Jerusalem” and considered it a blatant challenge to international law and blatant intimidation under the guise of freedom of expression.

Earlier Thursday, the agency's Commissioner-General, Philip Lazar-Yenni, said, "Israelis set fire twice in the vicinity of UNRWA's main headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem, forcing them to close the headquarters until security was restored."

Over the past two months, settlers have organized violent protests in front of UNRWA headquarters in occupied Jerusalem, which included throwing stones at employees and buildings and trying to close it.

In parallel with its war on the Gaza Strip, which has entered its eighth month, Israel launched a campaign against UNRWA that greatly obstructed its work in the Strip, claiming its “lack of neutrality” and the “involvement” of its employees in the Palestinian factions’ attack on settlements adjacent to Gaza on October 7, 2023.

UNRWA was established by a decision of the United Nations General Assembly in 1949, and was mandated to provide assistance and protection to Palestinian refugees in its five areas of operations in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.