Jakarta. Indonesia lashed out at Israel for bulldozing buildings belonging to the UN Palestinian agency in the occupied East Jerusalem.

Israel recently tore down structures inside the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) compound after it accused the organization of being infiltrated by Hamas. Israel has also claimed ownership of the land where the compound is located. The action quickly sparked reactions, including Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, which has been vocal on Palestinian independence. 

In a social media post uploaded by the Foreign Ministry, Indonesia wrote that it “strongly condemns” the act, which they describe as a “serious violation of UNRWA’s privileges and immunities”. Indonesia also brought up the International Court of Justice or ICJ’s advisory opinion back in October 2025. The court at the time concluded that international human rights law required Israel to refrain from impeding UNRWA’s operations.

“[The ICJ advisory opinion] affirmed Israel’s obligation to support the presence of the UN in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including UNRWA as an indispensable humanitarian agency, and to respect the privileges and immunities of the UN under international law,” the ministry wrote on Wednesday.

Indonesia went on to say that the application of national rules to suspend UNRWA’s performance in delivering humanitarian aid is “inconsistent with Israel’s international obligations”. Southeast Asia’s biggest economy repeated calls for Israel to respect international laws, including by ensuring the protection of UN facilities and personnel.

The UNRWA buildings have been unused since early 2025. In 2024, the Israeli parliament passed a law that banned the agency’s operations. UNRWA operates schools and provides healthcare services for the Palestinians in the occupied territory. Just last week, Foreign Minister Sugiono said that he “personally” viewed Palestine as a “reminder that diplomacy must never lose its conscience”. 

“Indonesia’s diplomacy will always be present, with principle and courage, in every step toward a peaceful and independent Palestine,” Sugiono told a room full of ambassadors and reporters.