The United Nations' main aid agency for the Palestinians closed its headquarters in East Jerusalem after local Israeli residents set fire to areas surrounding the sprawling complex on Thursday, the agency said.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNWRA, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that he decided to close the complex until adequate security was restored.
He said Thursday's incident was the second in less than a week. “This is a scandalous development. Once again, the lives of UN personnel were at serious risk,” he said.
“It is the responsibility of the State of Israel, as the occupying power, to ensure that United Nations personnel and facilities are protected at all times,” he said.
Adam Bouloukos, director of UNRWA affairs in the occupied West Bank, said that, with the help of some colleagues, he put out the fire that consumed about 70 m² of dry grass and bushes near the compound's fence.
“We had about 100 people watching, applauding and cheering,” he said, adding that most appeared to be minors.
A second fire, which broke out shortly after, struck near the agency's fuel depot, posing a serious risk of a large explosion, he said, adding that he was hit by rocks while putting out the flames with a fire extinguisher.
UNRWA, created to deal with Palestinian refugees who fled or were forced to flee their homes during the 1948 war at the time of Israel's creation, has long been the target of Israeli hostility.
Israeli police said they had opened an investigation into a forest fire adjacent to the UNRWA compound.
“The preliminary findings of the police investigation suggest that the act was carried out by minors, allegedly below the legal age limit for criminal responsibility,” he said.
Since the start of the war in Gaza on October 7, Israeli authorities have repeatedly called for the closure of the agency, accusing it of complicity with Hamas in Gaza, an accusation that the United Nations vehemently rejects.
“Since October 7, there has definitely been an escalation of tension against UNRWA, attacks on UNRWA,” he told Reuters.
“Not only the physical attacks that we saw last night, the fire, but also a few days ago there was a demonstration that became very violent with the destruction of our property outside of this complex.”
Israel considers all of Jerusalem its indivisible capital, including the eastern parts it captured in the 1967 war, which the Palestinians target as the future capital of an independent state.
Lazzarini said employees were present at the time of the incident, but there were no injuries. However, the external areas were damaged by the fire, which was put out by staff after emergency services were slow to respond.
In images shared with Lazzarini's post, smoke can be seen rising near buildings on the outskirts of the complex, while the sound of chanting can be heard.
A crowd accompanied by armed men was seen outside the complex chanting “Burn the United Nations,” Lazzarini said.
Source: CNN Brasil
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