UN refugee agency condemns ‘intimidation’ by Israeli right-wingers

JERUSALEM

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has condemned protests by Israeli right-wingers outside its headquarters in East Jerusalem as “intimidation” and “vandalism.”

Right-wing groups staged protests outside the UNRWA office in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood on Tuesday evening to call for its closure.

The protest, during which demonstrators tried to storm the site, was called by West Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Aryeh King.

“This protest called by an elected member of the Jerusalem municipality is nothing less than harassment, intimidation, vandalism & damage to UN property,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on his X account.

“This has nothing to do with freedom of expression.”

Lazzarini called on the Israeli authorities “to protect United Nations premises, operations and staff at all times.”

The UNRWA has been facing Israeli pressure over unproven allegations that some agency staff were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

The US and some of its Western allies initially suspended funding to UNRWA in January, but others such as the EU, Canada and Sweden have since backtracked and plan to resume funding.

UNRWA was created by the UN General Assembly more than 70 years ago to assist Palestinians who were forcibly displaced from their land.

The agency provides crucial support to millions of Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and other areas where large numbers of registered Palestinians live.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul