UK, France, Canada among 11 countries condemning Israel’s UNRWA demolitions

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffJanuary 28, 2026 at 06:37 PM

AI Summary

short article 2 min

In January 2026, eleven countries, including the UK, France, and Canada, jointly condemned Israel's demolition of the UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem. The countries, in a joint statement, described the demolition as an "unprecedented act" against a UN agency and called on Israel to halt all demolitions. Israel has intensified pressure on UNRWA, which provides aid to Palestinian refugees, accusing the agency of ties to Hamas, allegations the UN rejects. These accusations have been used by Israel to restrict UNRWA's operations, despite the agency being crucial for humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza. In late 2024, Israel passed legislation barring UNRWA from operating in Israeli-controlled areas, further strengthened in December, leading to the recent demolition of the UNRWA headquarters.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

United States 50% Antonio Guterres 50% Hamas 60% Belgium 60% UN ×270% UK 70% France 70% Canada 70% Gaza Strip ×275% East Jerusalem ×380% Israel ×890% UNRWA ×995%

Keywords

unrwa 100% israel demolitions 90% palestinian refugees 80% east jerusalem 70% united nations 60% international condemnation 50% humanitarian aid 50% israeli government 40%