Posting on social media, Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated “Israeli residents set fire twice to the perimeter” on Thursday night. UNRWA personnel and workers from different UN businesses have been inside the compound on the time.
“Our director with the help of other staff had to put out the fire themselves as it took the Israeli fire extinguishers and police a while before they turned up,” he stated.
This marked “the second appalling incident in less than a week” following an analogous violent protest on Tuesday.
‘An outrageous development’
While there have been no casualties amongst UNRWA workers, the fireplace induced intensive harm to the out of doors areas, he stated, noting {that a} petrol and diesel station is on the grounds to service the company’s fleet of automobiles.
A crowd accompanied by armed males have been witnessed exterior the compound chanting “burn down the United Nations,” he added.
“This is an outrageous development,” he stated. “Once again, the lives of UN staff were at serious risk.”
Protest turned violent
Mr. Lazzarini stated he has taken the choice to shut down the compound “until proper security is restored”.
Israeli extremists have been staging protests exterior the UNRWA compound in Jerusalem over the previous two months “called by an elected member of the Jerusalem municipality.”
He famous that Tuesday’s protest had turned violent when demonstrators threw stones at UN workers and on the buildings, “under the watch of the Israeli police.”
Harassment, intimidation and vandalism
“Over the past months, UN staff have regularly been subjected to harassment and intimidation. Our compound has been seriously vandalized and damaged. On several occasions, Israeli extremists threatened our staff with guns,” he stated.
The UNRWA chief careworn that it’s the duty of Israel as the occupying energy to be certain that UN personnel and services are protected always.
“I call on all those who have influence to put an end to these attacks and hold all those responsible accountable,” he stated. “The perpetrators of these attacks must be investigated and those responsible must be held accountable. Anything less will set a new dangerous standard.”