Demolition of UNRWA in Jerusalem.. This is how the occupation assassinates the "living witness" to the tragedy of displacement

In a move described as undermining the rules of the global order, the Israeli occupation authorities, citing an official and governmental decision, proceeded to demolish the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), in broad daylight and in front of cameras.

According to a report prepared by Azhar Ahmed, the demolition does not target mere UN buildings that are supposed to be internationally protected, but rather represents the culmination of an Israeli legislative and military campaign aimed at ending the existence of the organization, which Israel considers an "existential threat" because it is the living witness to the existence of refugees and displaced persons from a country called Palestine.

The targeting of "UNRWA" goes beyond the construction aspect to an all-out war; while bulldozers continue to demolish headquarters, the Israeli "Knesset" has adopted laws prohibiting the agency's activities and preventing communication with it.

These measures coincide with human targeting that resulted in the killing of more than 270 of the agency's employees during Israel's recent war on the Gaza Strip, in addition to an international incitement campaign that succeeded in pushing major countries to suspend their funding.

The Israeli narrative considers that the agency's existence keeps the refugee issue alive internationally, which Israel seeks to abolish by removing the designation of "refugee" from the descendants of Palestinians who were displaced in 1948.

The roots of "UNRWA" date back to 1949, when it was established by the United Nations General Assembly under Resolution (302) in the aftermath of the "Nakba," to protect and assist Palestinians who were displaced on ethnic grounds, and officially began its work in 1950, linking its history organically to the Palestinian cause.

Although it was established as a temporary agency, the continuation of the occupation and the absence of a just solution prompted the international community to renew its mandate repeatedly, making it an international exception in its commitment to one community of refugees (everyone who lost their home between 1946 and 1948, their children, and their descendants).

UNRWA is today the largest relief organization, providing its services to about 6 million Palestinians in five areas: the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

Its services vary between education, health care, and emergency response, and the Gaza Strip, with its eight camps (such as Al-Bureij, Khan Yunis, and Rafah), is the largest arena for its operations.

Israel believes that the demise of the agency means the demise of international responsibility for redressing the Palestinian people, which is rejected by international circles that see the demolition of its headquarters as a demolition of the foundations of international laws that protect UN institutions.