New York, USA – The United Nations strongly condemned Israel’s decision to establish military facilities within a compound belonging to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Jerusalem. It considered this move a clear violation of the inviolability of UN premises and international humanitarian law.
The international organization emphasized that any use of UN facilities for military purposes threatens its neutrality and undermines its ability to provide humanitarian services to refugees. It also stressed the need to respect the immunity granted to its agencies operating in the Palestinian territories.
Diplomatic sources indicated that the decision sparked widespread criticism within the United Nations. This came amid calls from several member states for its immediate reversal and for avoiding any actions that could further escalate tensions in Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, human rights organizations warned that converting humanitarian facilities into military sites could worsen the humanitarian situation. Furthermore, it could hinder the work of the agency that provides essential services to hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees in the region.
