Hey folks, big news from East Jerusalem: on December 9, Israeli forces unexpectedly stormed the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) office without any green light 🛑. They detained the security team, confiscated phones, and even raised Israel's flag on the roof.
The Jerusalem Governorate says communications were cut off, so it’s still unclear what’s happening inside 😓. No comment yet from Israeli police or UNRWA, but tensions are sky-high.
This raid happened just two days after the UN General Assembly voted to renew UNRWA's mandate for another three years. The office has been around since 1951, although UNRWA moved out earlier this year after Israel passed a law banning its operations in Jerusalem.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres slammed the raid, calling the UN premises "inviolable" under international rules. He stressed that any interference with UN property goes against the UN Charter and international law, and urged Israel to restore the building's protected status ✊.
From Dhaka to Jakarta, young activists are taking to social media to demand respect for humanitarian work and protection for UN teams 📱. Many see this as a worrying signal for refugee support in conflict zones 🌍.
Reference(s):
Israeli forces storm UNRWA office in Jerusalem, UN issues condemnation
cgtn.com
