New York, Jan. 20 (Petra) - United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned on Tuesday the demolition of the UNRWA complex in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood by Israeli authorities.

In a statement, Guterres called on the Israeli government to immediately halt the demolition and urged that the complex, along with other UNRWA premises, be returned to UN control without delay.

He emphasized that the Sheikh Jarrah complex remains under UN ownership and is protected from any interference, a point he has repeatedly and unequivocally reaffirmed, including in his letter to the Israeli Prime Minister dated January 8, 2026.

The Secretary-General described the continued actions against UNRWA as "completely unacceptable" and in violation of Israel’s obligations under international law, including the UN Charter and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.

//Petra// AF