UNRWA, Palestinian refugees and the future of Jerusalem: standing up to bullying.

Posted: 13th February 2026

I’m writing to share a new article from Britain Palestine Project chair, Andrew Whitley: UNRWA, Palestinian refugees and the future of Jerusalem: standing up to bullying.

Three weeks ago, Israel seized and demolished the East Jerusalem headquarters of UNRWA in Sheikh Jarrah – in defiance of international law, an explicit ruling of the International Court of Justice, and protests from many governments, including Britain’s.

This was not an administrative act or a security measure. It was a political statement: an attempt to erase the international community’s last institutional foothold in East Jerusalem, and to further entrench Israel’s claim to the city as its undivided capital.

In the article, Andrew reflects on:

• What the destruction of UNRWA’s headquarters means for Palestinian refugees in Jerusalem

• Why UNRWA’s presence in East Jerusalem has always carried profound political and legal significance

• The longer historical context of Jerusalem before and after 1967

• How Israel’s actions fit into a broader pattern of bullying and disregard for international law

• Why governments must now move beyond statements of concern and take concrete legal action

He also draws on his experience working for UNRWA in Jerusalem, and on the personal, political and legal realities that shaped the city, and continue to shape its future.

What is ultimately at stake is not just the fate of one UN agency, but the rights, dignity and future of the people it serves – and the credibility of international law itself.

With best wishes,
Brian

Dr Brian Brivati
Executive Director, Britain Palestine Project

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