UN Envoy Warns UN System Under Threat After Demolition of UNRWA Compound in East Jerusalem

The United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory has condemned the demolition of a UNRWA compound in East Jerusalem, warning that the incident reflects a wider assault on the United Nations system and international law. She has called for a special session of the UN General Assembly in response.

Francesca Albanese said she was deeply alarmed by what she described as the Israeli government’s relentless destruction of international institutions operating in the occupied territory. In a statement, she warned that Israel is dismantling the United Nations and international law piece by piece in full view of the world.

Her comments followed the forcible entry by Israeli forces into the UNRWA headquarters compound in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem on January twenty. According to reports, the site was demolished using bulldozers and heavy machinery, despite its status as a United Nations facility.

Albanese said the targeting of UNRWA goes beyond the destruction of buildings and represents a direct attack on global efforts to sustain Palestinian life. She described the demolition as part of a broader pattern that undermines humanitarian work and international protections for civilians.

She also pointed to what she characterized as increasingly extreme rhetoric by Israeli officials, warning that such language, combined with actions on the ground, signals a dangerous erosion of legal and moral constraints.

The special rapporteur argued that the incident should not be viewed in isolation. Instead, she said it demonstrates an urgent need for collective action by the international community to defend the integrity of the United Nations and the legal framework it represents.

Her call for a special session of the General Assembly aims to draw global attention to what she sees as a direct challenge to the UN’s authority and its ability to operate in occupied Palestinian territory. As tensions continue to rise, the demolition has intensified concerns over the future of humanitarian operations and the broader system of international law meant to protect civilians in conflict zones.