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Original article: Israel allana oficinas de la ONU para refugiados palestinos en Jerusalén: denuncian “violación flagrante” de inmunidad diplomática

Tensions between Israel and multilateral organizations escalated sharply on Monday as Israeli security forces forcibly entered the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) located in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem. This act has been condemned by the international organization as a «flagrant violation» of diplomatic immunity.

The operation, carried out by police officers along with municipal officials, involved the confiscation of property, cutting communications, and a politically charged gesture: the Israeli police removed the United Nations flag flying at the complex and hoisted the Israeli flag in its place.

The aggression was denounced by Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner General, who underscored the serious institutional implications of this act.

«This latest action demonstrates a blatant disregard for Israel’s obligations as a member state of the United Nations,» he stated in a press release, warning that allowing such violations sets a «dangerous precedent» for any other UN mission worldwide.

Operation Details: Motorcycles, Forklifts, and Cut Communications

According to Lazzarini’s account shared on social media platform X, the police intrusion occurred early in the morning.

He reported that Israeli police conducted a large-scale operation, bringing in police motorcycles, trucks, and forklifts, effectively cutting all communications. «They seized furniture, IT equipment, and other property,» he noted.

The Commissioner highlighted that following months of harassment, which included arson attacks in 2024, hate demonstrations, and intimidation supported by a large-scale misinformation campaign, alongside anti-UNRWA legislation passed by the Knesset (Israeli parliament) in violation of international obligations, UNRWA staff were forced to vacate the complex earlier this year.

Specifically, the legislative body approved laws to ban the agency’s activities in Israeli territory and declared the organization as «terrorist.» Consequently, UNRWA management moved its operations to Amman, Jordan, leaving the East Jerusalem building under private security and staff from other UN agencies.

However, the organization insists that the diplomatic status of the premises remains fully valid.

Lazzarini argued that no matter the national measures taken, the complex retains its status as a United Nations site, making it immune to any form of interference.

Following the operation, the UN reported a violation of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the UN, which establishes that UN premises are «inviolable» and immune to search. In contrast, the Israeli police justified the raid by claiming it was «bailiffs executing a debt collection order.»

According to an official report from UNRWA, the Israeli forces confiscated furniture, IT equipment, and other agency property. While the UN bases its protest on the 1946 Convention regarding the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations—which states that UN premises are «inviolable» and immune to any form of search or intervention—Israeli police provided a domestic justification. In a brief statement, they asserted that it was «bailiffs executing a debt collection order.»

Dean Elsdunne, a spokesperson for the Israeli police, claimed that the controversial action was related to debt collection concerning the Arnona, a municipal property tax, and not an «eviction.»

However, UNRWA denied this narrative. Its spokesperson, Jonathan Fowler, stated from Amman that the headquarters «remains the property of the UN» despite Israel’s prohibition against operating in the city, emphasizing that the agency has no debts to the municipality.

UN Secretary-General Condemns Israeli Raid

UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the Israeli incursion into the UNRWA premises.

In a statement, he reminded that the complex «remains a United Nations facility, inviolable and immune to any other form of interference.»

“As recently confirmed by the International Court of Justice, any executive, administrative, judicial, or legislative action against United Nations property and assets is prohibited by the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations,” he stated.

Guterres urged Israel to immediately undertake all necessary measures «to restore, preserve, and maintain the inviolability of UNRWA facilities and to refrain from imposing new restrictions regarding them, in accordance with its obligations under the UN Charter and other international law obligations, including those relating to the privileges and immunities of the United Nations.»

Consequences of the Raid

The raid comes just days after the UN General Assembly renewed UNRWA’s mandate for three years, a mandate that has been in place since 1949. This decision occurred amid intense contention: where Israel accuses the agency of bias, the Palestinians consider its role essential for preserving their rights as refugees and keeping alive the hope of return to homes lost in 1948.

The aggression is viewed not only as an escalation in Israel’s campaign against the agency but as a direct challenge to the international legal framework that protects UN operations.

La entrada Israeli Forces Raid UN Offices for Palestinian Refugees in Jerusalem, Sparking Outrage Over Diplomatic Immunity Violation se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.