Doha: European and Western countries condemned the demolition carried out by the Israeli occupation authorities against the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in occupied Jerusalem on Jan. 20, deeming it an unacceptable act. The foreign ministers of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom affirmed in a joint statement Wednesday that this unprecedented act against UNRWA represents an unacceptable step aimed at undermining its ability to operate.

According to Qatar News Agency, the countries urged the Israeli occupation government to abide by its international obligations to ensure the protection and inviolability of UN premises, in accordance with the provisions of the 1946 UN General Convention and the UN Charter, calling on Israel to halt all demolitions.

The statement reaffirmed full support for the indispensable role of UNRWA in providing essential services and humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. It emphasized the importance of UNRWA's role as a service provider delivering healthcare and education to millions of Palestinians across the region, particularly in Gaza, and stressed that it must be able to operate without restrictions.

It is worth noting that over the past four years, the Israeli occupation has deliberately targeted the United Nations and its agencies throughout the West Bank and Gaza, accusing some of them of contributing to the events of Oct. 7, 2013, and attacking UN facilities, in clear violation of international law.