Israeli crews target UN facilities for Palestinian refugees in east Jerusalem

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli forces on Tuesday targeted at least two United Nations facilities, pushing forward with a crackdown against the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees tasked with delivering humanitarian services to millions of people across the region.

Crews began bulldozing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency ’s offices in Sheikh Jarrah and fired tear gas at a vocational school in Qalandia, marking Israel’s latest and most dramatic step against UNRWA.

Israel has long railed against the agency, accusing it of being infiltrated by Hamas and saying that some of its employees were involved in the October 2023 attack that triggered Israel’s two-year war in Gaza. UNRWA leaders have said they took swift action against the employees accused of taking part in the attack, and have denied allegations that the agency tolerates or collaborates with Hamas.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday condemned Israel’s destruction of the agency's compound and called for it to be returned to the U.N.'s control.

“The Secretary-General views as wholly unacceptable the continued escalatory actions against UNRWA, which are inconsistent with Israel’s clear obligations under international law," said Farhan Haq, the deputy U.N. spokesperson.

Roland Friedrich, the agency's West Bank director, said UNRWA received word that demolition crews and police arrived at their east Jerusalem headquarters early on Tuesday. Staff have not operated out of the facility for almost a year out of safety concerns, but Israeli forces confiscated devices and forced out private security guards protecting the facility.

“What we saw today is the culmination of two years of incitement and measures against UNRWA in east Jerusalem,” Friedrich said.

He said forces also began firing tear gas outside the vocational school on the outskirts of Jerusalem on Tuesday afternoon before ultimately leaving. More than 300 young refugees receive job training in technology and welding there.

Some children on their way home from the school were overcome by the tear gas and a 15-year-old was hit in the eye with a rubber bullet, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Jerusalem governorate, which monitors Palestinian affairs in the area.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the demolition enforced a new law banning UNRWA, noting that Israel owns the site and rejecting UNRWA’s claims that the move violated international law.

Israel has long claimed the agency has an anti-Israel bias. Often with little evidence, it says UNRWA employs and maintains ties with militant groups including Hamas. The U.N. has ardently denied such claims and UNRWA has said it acts quickly to purge any suspected militants among its staff.

UNRWA's mandate is to provide aid and services to some 2.5 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, as well as 3 million more refugees in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. The group has for years maintained infrastructure in refugee camps and also run schools and provided health care. But its operations were curtailed last year when Israel’s Knesset passed legislation severing ties and banning it from functioning in what it defines as Israel — including east Jerusalem.

The agency said the demolitions could imperil operations at the vocational center in Qalandia and heath facility in Shu'afat, where it still provides education and health services.

An Israeli flag was seen hoisted above the facility in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, where some Israeli politicians arrived on the scene to celebrate the organization's fate. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called it “a historic day.”

The demolition marked the culmination of years of criticism from Israel and its leaders. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war more than two years ago, it has ramped up such attacks, saying the militants used UNRWA facilities and seized aid. It has provided little evidence for the claims, which the U.N. has denied. The International Court of Justice said in October that Israel must allow the agency to provide humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

Since Israel passed its law banning the agency last year, its facilities — schools and health centers — and its headquarters have repeatedly been closed, raided or left unprotected.

“This must be a wake-up call," Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA's commissioner-general, said in a statement on X. “What happens today to UNRWA will happen tomorrow to any other international organisation or diplomatic mission, whether in the Occupied Palestinian Territory or anywhere around the world.”

Israel's ban on UNRWA dovetailed with broader efforts to deregister aid groups operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Israel has passed laws requiring nongovernmental organizations not to hire staff involved in activities that “delegitimize Israel” or support boycotts, demanding they register lists of names as a condition of being allowed to work.

Israel told dozens of groups — including Doctors Without Borders and CARE — that their licenses would expire at the end of 2025. The organizations say the rules are arbitrary and warned that the new ban would harm people desperately in need of humanitarian aid.

The Israeli military said Tuesday that attacks carried out by Jewish settlers against Palestinians and Israeli security forces in the West Bank increased by 27% last year compared with 2024.

There were 867 reports of “nationalistic crimes” — with the number of severe incidents up by more than 50%, according to internal statistics from the Israeli military and the country’s Shin Bet domestic security service.

Mounting settler violence in the West Bank has emptied villages since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted, according to B’Tselem, an Israeli rights group helping the residents.

The Israeli military has carried out large-scale operations in the West Bank targeting militants that have killed hundreds of Palestinians. There also has been a rise in Palestinian attacks on Israelis.

Israeli authorities have a mixed relationship with settlers, at times dismantling unauthorized outposts while also deploying forces to protect them from Palestinians.

Julia Frankel and Shlomo Mor in Jerusalem and Edith M. Lederer and Farnoush Amiri in New York contributed reporting. Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Israeli bulldozers demolish a UNRWA compound, belonging to the U.N. agency that assists Palestinian refugees, in east Jerusalem Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Israeli authorities demolish a UNRWA compound, belonging to the U.N. agency that assists Palestinian refugees, in east Jerusalem Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Israeli bulldozers demolish a UNRWA compound, belonging to the U.N. agency that assists Palestinian refugees, in east Jerusalem Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Israeli authorities demolish a UNRWA compound, belonging to the U.N. agency that assists Palestinian refugees, in east Jerusalem Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

People watch the demolition of a UNRWA compound, the U.N. agency that assists Palestinian refugees, in east Jerusalem Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Israeli bulldozers demolish a UNRWA compound, belonging to the U.N. agency that assists Palestinian refugees, in east Jerusalem Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Israeli bulldozers demolish a UNRWA compound, belonging to the U.N. agency that assists Palestinian refugees, in east Jerusalem Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Israeli soldiers take up positions during an army raid in the West Bank city of Hebron Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Bichette and the New York Mets finalized their $126 million, three-year contract on Tuesday night.

The sides agreed to terms last week, subject to a successful physical. Bichette spurned the NL East rival Philadelphia Phillies to sign with the Mets and will be introduced by the team Wednesday during a news conference at Citi Field.

A two-time All-Star shortstop with the Toronto Blue Jays, Bichette will move to third base with the Mets, who have Francisco Lindor at shortstop. Bichette has never played a professional game at the hot corner.

“Throughout his career, Bo has distinguished himself as one of the best pure right-handed hitters in baseball," Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said in a news release announcing the deal.

"He possesses the rare combination of elite bat-to-ball (skills) and power that will impact our lineup. Beyond his on-field skills, Bo has earned the reputation as one of the most intense competitors in our sport. We’re excited to add him to our team and believe he fits our organization very well.”

About two hours later, the busy Mets acquired center fielder Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox in a trade for infielder Luisangel Acuña and minor league pitcher Truman Pauley.

Bichette can opt out of his contract after the first or second season to become a free agent again. He would receive $47 million for one year and $89 million for two years.

The deal does not contain any deferred money and Bichette gets a full no-trade provision. His $42 million average annual value ties for the sixth-highest in baseball history.

The additions of Bichette and Robert were the latest big developments in an eventful offseason for the Mets, who angered fans by letting popular slugger Pete Alonso and star closer Edwin Díaz leave in free agency. Stearns also traded two other stalwarts, outfielder Brandon Nimmo and versatile veteran Jeff McNeil — both homegrown players.

New York signed closer Devin Williams to a $51 million, three-year contract, infielder Jorge Polanco to a $40 million, two-year deal and reliever Luke Weaver to a $22 million, two-year agreement.

Although he lacks Alonso’s power, Bichette is a proven hitter with quick hands at the plate. He gives the Mets a potent right-handed bat to help complement lefty slugger Juan Soto.

Because of his inexperience at third, however, Bichette becomes the latest question mark in the field for New York even though Stearns has insisted the team must improve its defense and is determined to do so.

Polanco has one pitch of major league experience at first base, where he and Mark Vientos, previously a third baseman, are the leading candidates to replace Alonso.

Bichette batted .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 139 games for the Blue Jays last year. He hit a three-run homer off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Late last season, Bichette sprained his left knee in a Sept. 6 collision with New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells, keeping the infielder out of the lineup until the World Series. He returned for Game 1 against the Dodgers and played second base for the first time in six years.

Bichette led the American League in hits in 2021 and 2022. He finished second in the major leagues in batting average last season to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.

Bichette turned down a $22,025,000 qualifying offer from the Blue Jays in November, so they will receive an extra draft pick in July after the fourth round.

New York forfeits its second- and fifth-highest draft picks, along with $1 million in 2027 international signing bonus pool allocation.

Bichette, who turns 28 in March, had spent his entire career with the Blue Jays since they selected him in the second round of the 2016 amateur draft. He is a .294 career hitter with 111 home runs and an .806 OPS in 748 major league games.

He is a son of former big league slugger Dante Bichette, a four-time All-Star outfielder.

AP Baseball Writers Ronald Blum and David Brandt and AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston contributed to this report.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

FILE - Toronto Blue Jays' Bo Bichette celebrates his three run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning in Game 7 of baseball's World Series, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Toronto. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)