“Outrageous development”
UNRWA closes Jerusalem headquarters after fire
May 10, 2024, 7:37 a.m
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The UN Palestinian Relief Agency is repeatedly exposed to harsh criticism from the Israeli government. A fire on the headquarters premises in East Jerusalem is now apparently causing significant damage. UNRWA chief Lazzarini speaks of arson and draws conclusions.
After a fire on the grounds of the UN Palestinian Relief Agency (UNRWA) in East Jerusalem, the headquarters will be closed, according to the UN. Israeli residents set fire to the UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem twice on Thursday evening, wrote the head of the UN aid agency, Philippe Lazzarini, on X. “In light of this second horrific incident in less than a week, I have decided to… “To close the premises until safety is restored.” No one was injured, but the fire caused significant damage to the outside area of the seat.
According to Lazzarini, there is also a gas station for the aid organization’s vehicle fleet on the UNRWA site. According to him, the director of the local office tried to put out the fire with the help of other workers. It took a while for the Israeli fire brigade to arrive, said Lazzarini. He described the incident as an “outrageous development.” The information cannot be independently verified.
The Israeli government has been sharply criticizing the UN Palestinian Relief Agency for some time. She accuses the Palestinian relief organization in the Gaza Strip of being infiltrated by the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas. Hamas has infiltrated UNRWA so deeply “that it is no longer possible to determine where UNRWA ends and where Hamas begins,” Israel said. The aid organization is active in the sealed-off coastal strip, among other things, in the field of education and provides humanitarian aid.
In January, UNRWA hit the headlines after Israel claimed that 12 staff members were involved in Hamas’ devastating terrorist attacks on October 7. An investigative report by independent experts concluded that UNRWA had put in place a number of “robust” mechanisms to ensure respect for the principle of neutrality. However, there is room for improvement.