Israel Orders UN agency to evacuate Jerusalem by January 30

Israel’s UN ambassador announced on Friday that the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, must stop its activities and vacate all its facilities in Jerusalem by January 30, 2025.

This decision aligns with a contentious Israeli law that prohibits the agency from operating in Israel and East Jerusalem.

A territory annexed by Israel after the 1967 Six-Day War.

The agency, which plays a key role in providing humanitarian assistance to about six million Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria, has faced increased criticism from Israel.

More particularly since the onset of the current conflict. Israeli authorities have alleged that some of UNRWA’s Gaza-based employees were involved in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks.

In a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Ambassador Danny Danon specified that UNRWA must halt its operations in Jerusalem and vacate its premises by the stated deadline.