UNRWA closes headquarters in East Jerusalem after arson attack by “Israeli extremists”

CNN
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The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees will close its headquarters in East Jerusalem after the compound was set on fire by “Israeli extremists” while staff were there, its chief said Thursday.

In a statement on the social platform X: UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini said the arson attack was the latest in a series of threats, harassment and violent incidents carried out by Israelis against the agency’s employees over the past two months.

“This evening, Israeli residents twice set fire to the perimeter of the UNRWA headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem. This happened while UNRWA and staff from other UN agencies were at the site,” Lazzarini said.

“It is an outrageous development. Once again, the lives of UN staff were in serious danger.”

The facility will remain closed “until proper security is restored,” he added.

Lazzarini posted a video of the site in which staff could be seen trying to put out the flames as people chanted outside, and said a crowd accompanied by armed men was seen outside the site shouting: ” Burn down the United Nations.”

Several social media videos showing the burning UNRWA compound were also posted on Israeli Telegram platforms on Thursday. In one video, the repeated chant “UNWRA is Hamas, UNWRA is Hamas” could be heard.

Lazzarini said the fire caused “significant damage to exterior areas.” There were no injuries among UN staff, he added.

Israel’s relations with the United Nations have sunk to historic lows in recent months, with senior UN officials highly critical of Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza.

Israeli officials have long criticized UNRWA, which plays a central role in feeding and housing hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees. UNRWA has repeatedly rejected Israeli accusations that its aid is being diverted to Hamas or that it is teaching hatred in its schools, and has questioned “the motivation of those who make such claims.” The agency condemned the October 7 Hamas attack as “heinous.”

In March, UNRWA accused Israel of detaining and torturing some of its staff and forcing them to make false confessions about the organization’s ties to Hamas, two months after Israel accused at least 12 UNRWA staff of participating in the October 7 terror attacks to have been involved.

Israel has also claimed that about 12% of UNRWA’s 13,000 staff are members of Hamas or other Palestinian militant groups, which has led more than a dozen countries to stop funding the organization. UNRWA said it had fired 10 of the 12 accused staff and the other two were dead.

CNN cannot confirm Israel’s or UNRWA’s claims.

On Thursday, Lazzarini said it was Israel’s responsibility to ensure the safety of UN personnel.

“I call on everyone with influence to put an end to these attacks and hold all those responsible accountable,” he wrote on X. “The perpetrators of these attacks must be investigated and those responsible must be held accountable.” Anything else will setting a new dangerous standard.”

CNN has reached out to the Israeli government for comment.