Guterres Slams Israel Over UNRWA Demolition, FM Spokesman Fires Back

The statement went on to say that “The Secretary-General views as wholly unacceptable the continued escalatory actions against UNRWA, which are inconsistent with Israel’s clear obligations under international law, including under the Charter of the United Nations and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.”

According to Haq, Guterres also “urges the Government of Israel to immediately cease the demolition of the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound, and to return and restore the compound and other UNRWA premises to the United Nations without delay.”

Israel’s response came swiftly. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein reposted the UN condemnation on social media, attaching a video showing Hamas terrorist Mohammad Marwan Abu Itiwi participating in the kidnapping of Israeli hostages during the October 7, 2023 attack. Marmorstein also included a screenshot from an UNRWA employee list identifying Itiwi as an UNRWA driver, complete with his employee number.

“Was this your UNRWA Employee of the Month?” Marmorstein wrote in his post.

The confrontation comes against the backdrop of Israeli legislation passed by the Knesset in October 2024 barring UNRWA from operating in Israel and banning Israeli officials from maintaining contact with the agency. That law was expanded last month to prohibit the supply of electricity and water to UNRWA facilities, and Israeli authorities also moved to seize the agency’s offices in eastern Yerushalayim.

Earlier this month, Guterres warned Israel that he may take the matter to the International Court of Justice if the laws targeting UNRWA are not repealed. The warning was delivered in a January 8 letter to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

In the letter, Guterres wrote that the United Nations cannot ignore “actions taken by Israel, which are in direct contravention of the obligations of Israel under international law. They must be reversed without delay.”

UNRWA has faced longstanding criticism over its cooperation with the Hamas terrorist organization, criticism that intensified after Israel presented evidence in 2024 indicating that UNRWA staff members took part in the October 7, 2023 Hamas assault.

In response to Israel’s allegations, the United Nations established an independent review group headed by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna to examine the claims.

The group’s report acknowledged that it found “neutrality-related issues” within UNRWA, but also asserted that Israel had not yet provided evidence that a large number of UNRWA employees were members of terrorist organizations.

Separately, Emily Damari, a former Hamas hostage released after 470 days in captivity, said she had been held inside an UNRWA facility.

In April 2025, USAID disclosed that the United Nations had obstructed an American government investigation into ties between UNRWA employees in Gaza and the Hamas terrorist organization.

Despite the mounting evidence cited by Israel regarding UNRWA’s connections to Hamas, the International Court of Justice recently ruled that Israel must enable the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip through UN agencies, including UNRWA. Israel and the United States both criticized that ruling.

{Matzav.com}