Israel Sets January 30 Deadline for UN Palestinian Agency to Exit Jerusalem 

Israel has issued a January 30 ultimatum for the UN Palestinian agency to vacate Jerusalem, escalating tensions amid ongoing regional disputes.

Israel’s UN ambassador announced on Friday that the United Nations agency responsible for Palestinian refugees must cease its operations and vacate all premises in Jerusalem by January 30. This directive aligns with timelines established by contentious Israeli legislation.

Despite international concerns, Israeli lawmakers have enacted legislation prohibiting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from operating in Israel and East Jerusalem—an area annexed by Israel after the 1967 Six Day War.

The agency has been increasingly criticized by Israel since the war began, with allegations that a dozen of its 13,000 Gaza employees participated in Hamas’ deadly assault on October 7, 2023.

In a letter to United Nations Chief António Guterres, Ambassador Danny Danon stated that UNRWA must stop its operations in Jerusalem and vacate all locations where it operates within the city by January 30, 2025.

UNRWA is regarded as the cornerstone of humanitarian efforts supporting Palestinians.

It offers assistance to approximately six million Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.

Although East Jerusalem has traditionally served as an administrative center for the agency, it also operates schools and health clinics in the area.

Israel has enacted a law that forbids contact between Israeli officials and UNRWA; however, its parliament has not officially prohibited the agency from functioning in Gaza or the West Bank.

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini cautioned that obstructing the agency’s operations could jeopardize the Gaza ceasefire, dashing once more the hopes of people who have endured unimaginable suffering.

He stated on the social media platform X late Friday that “UNRWA’s work must persist in Gaza and throughout the occupied Palestinian territory.”