Police and Israel Land Authority officials raided the UNRWA compound in the Ma'alot Dafna neighborhood in northern Jerusalem Tuesday morning, nearly a year after the organization abandoned the premises. The 46-dunam (11.4-acre) site served for decades as the agency's Israeli headquarters and had been occupied by illegal squatters following its departure.

The enforcement action concludes a protracted saga marked by unsuccessful eviction attempts, political theater and municipal tax arrears totaling millions of shekels. With the legislation banning UNRWA activity in Israel now in force, the property has finally reverted to state ownership.

Kobi Samerano, father of the late Yonatan Samerano who was killed by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 and then and abducted by a UNRWA employee, declared, "This morning represents closure for me and my family. Our Yonati was brutally kidnapped by a despicable UNRWA operative, and we couldn't find peace until we laid him to rest in Israel. This morning, at last, justice prevailed – UNRWA's Jerusalem offices were razed completely. UNRWA is outlawed and expelled from the State of Israel."

Video: UNRWA's offices being demolished in Jerusalem on January 20, 2026 / Credit: Israel Land Authority

A confrontation erupted at the compound between National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Knesset Member Yulia Malinovsky, who spearheaded the legislation to ban the agency. Ben-Gvir contended that while Malinovsky "merely talks," his ministry actually executes the law in practice.

From botched eviction to successful demolition

The journey to this moment proved lengthy. In February 2025, an initial attempt by Jerusalem municipal forces, Border Police and regular police to access the compound alongside Education Ministry officials collapsed when a UNRWA representative arrived and turned away the authorities.

Additional provocations followed at the site, including Malinovsky's bid to establish a "provisional parliamentary office" there. Last December, Jerusalem municipal authorities and police mounted another raid on the compound and confiscated movable assets over accumulated municipal tax obligations totaling 11.5 million shekels (approximately $3.2 million), following months of notices and abortive attempts to freeze bank accounts.

The enforcement operation follows a wave of disclosures about organization personnel participation in the October 7 terrorist assault, along with evidence that the agency's Gaza facilities were exploited to conceal Israeli captives.

With the property now restored to government administration, the Israel Land Authority stressed that the agency will advance planning and development initiatives for the site benefiting the Israeli public. The compound contains a historic structure – "the Police Academy" – marked for preservation, which the authority pledged to safeguard during future development.

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