Palestinian Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned Israel’s endorsement of a plan to seize the UNRWA headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, warning it sets a “dangerous precedent” that threatens international law.

In a statement, the ministry said that the plan involves constructing Israeli army and security installations on the ruins of the agency’s compound, reportedly under the guise of building a museum.

The move follows months of escalating tensions between Israel and UNRWA, the primary body responsible for distributing humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees.

Israel imposed a legislative ban on UNRWA’s operations within the country, which stripped the agency of its diplomatic immunities and severed all official state ties.