Palestinian NGOs Condemn ’Israel’s’ UNRWA Headquarters Raid

By Staff, Agencies

The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network [PNGO] denounced what it called a fresh “Israeli” crime after the occupation seized the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees’ [UNRWA] Al-Quds headquarters.

In a statement, the network said "Israeli" bulldozers carried out demolition works at the main UNRWA compound, which houses several offices, and raised the "Israeli" occupation flag over the building in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

The network reiterated that the demolition and raid, accompanied by a show of force by the "Israeli" occupation forces [IOF], are part of ongoing attempts to dismantle UNRWA's operations and eliminate the right of return for Palestinian refugees, guaranteed by UN Resolution 194.

This is part of a continuous campaign by the occupying power targeting Palestinian refugee camps in the northern West Bank, working to undermine and reshape them as a testament to the Nakba, as part of its open war against the Palestinian people and its ongoing genocidal crimes in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

The building has been subjected to intensified and continuous attacks for several months.

The network called for immediate international action to halt these crimes and to strengthen the voice of the United Nations, which established UNRWA and under whose auspices it has operated for 77 years.

It also urged concrete measures against the occupation, including suspending "Israel’s" UN membership through a Security Council resolution if vetoed by other powers.

The network also called for an emergency UN General Assembly meeting and international efforts to hold the occupying power accountable for its crimes.

It urged increased support and protection for UNRWA to ensure the agency can continue its vital work and prevent any disruption to its mandated role.

The network also demanded the protection of the staff at the headquarters and the preservation of the documents, papers, and various equipment, which contain vital information concerning refugees, the agency's work, and its employees, including records, archives, and other materials.

It also warned against the destruction and loss of these documents, which could deprive the refugee population of their rights.