He was Killed by UNRWA on October 7; his Father Marked the End of UNRWA in Jerusalem

Kobi Samerano, whose son Jonathan Samerano was kidnapped and murdered by an UNRWA employee during the October 7 massacre, affixed a mezuzah (traditional Jewish doorpost containing holy scrolls of Scripture) this week at the entrance gate of the former UNRWA compound at Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem, declaring: “May this be a moment of divine favor – for protection, blessing, and salvation.”

קובי סמרנו, אביו של יונתן סמרנו ז”ל שנחטף ונרצח בשבי חמאס יחד עם סגן ראש העיר ירושלים, אריה קינג וח”כ דן אילוז בטקס קביעת מזוזה במתחם אונר”א בי-ם. pic.twitter.com/mZmiFiFDCn

— חזקי ברוך (@HezkeiB) January 21, 2026

The symbolic ceremony took place on Wednesday, one day after the Israel Land Authority (ILA) began demolishing the former UNRWA structure. Among those present were Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Aryeh King and Knesset Member Dan Illouz (Likud).

“Today we were privileged to affix a mezuzah at the former UNRWA compound at Ammunition Hill, in the merit of our son,” Kobi Samerano said. “May this be a moment of divine favor – for protection, blessing, and salvation.”

MK Dan Illouz also welcomed the moment, saying: “We affixed a mezuzah in a place which previously spread incitement and terror. We will continue until UNRWA is completely dismantled everywhere on the soil of the Land of Israel.”

“At Last, Justice Has Been Done”

As demolition of the compound began earlier this week, Samerano described the moment as deeply personal and long overdue.

“For me and my family, this brings closure,” he said. “Our Jonathan was brutally kidnapped by a despicable UNRWA employee. For a long time, we could not find peace until we brought him to burial in the Land of Israel.”

“At last, justice has been served,” he added. “UNRWA’s offices in Jerusalem have been completely destroyed. UNRWA is now outside the law and outside the State of Israel. I thank everyone who worked to promote the legislation that made this possible, and I hope we will not see UNRWA again within Israel.”

Remembering Jonathan Samerano

Jonathan Samerano, of blessed memory, was brutally murdered after being abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023, while fleeing the massacre at the Nova music festival. He was taken by Hamas terrorists, among them an UNRWA employee. Jonathan was only 21 years old at the time of his death.

Jonathan’s body was retrieved from Gaza in an IDF operation. Jonathan had marked his 23rd birthday in captivity just days earlier. Kobi Samerano posted on social media: “On his 23rd birthday, the day he was born, our Jonathan was brought home in a heroic operation by the brave soldiers of the IDF and Shin Bet (ISA).”

His mother, Ayelet, eulogized him at his funeral with heartbreaking words:
“Jonathan was my child, connected to me 24/7 from the moment he was born. So many phone calls every day. When the horror began on October 7, there was no call.”

“More than a year and eight months since you were taken, I imagined you calling,” she said. “Then in an instant, I understood – you had called in your own way. You sent me notes of encouragement, missions of unity, of drawing hearts closer, of returning to our spiritual sources – and one enormous task: to teach what faith truly is.”

She concluded:
“You were kidnapped by UNRWA – a terror organization disguised as a humanitarian body – and you gave the entire people of Israel a mission: to make sure they disappear.”

Israeli Lawmakers Take on UNRWA

Earlier this week, inspectors from the Israel Land Authority (ILA), accompanied by police forces, completed the formal seizure of the UNRWA headquarters in Jerusalem’s Ma’alot Dafna neighborhood, and began evacuating the site. The compound had served for decades as UNRWA’s central hub in the heart of Israel’s capital.

The unprecedented action was carried out under the Law to Cease UNRWA Operations in the Territory of the State of Israel, 5785—2024, and following legislative amendments that explicitly granted the ILA authority to seize and evacuate properties used by the organization. Although UNRWA’s official activity at the site had ceased about a year earlier, authorities noted that the compound remained illegally occupied by squatters and local actors until the enforcement action brought that to an end.

With the land now returned to state management, the ILA has stated  it will advance planning and development of the area for the benefit of the Israeli public. The compound includes a historic structure known as the “Police School,” designated for preservation and slated to be incorporated into future development plans.

Officials emphasized that this Ma’alot Dafna compound is the first of several UNRWA sites scheduled for evacuation under the new law. Another UNRWA property in the Kafr Aqab area of Jerusalem is expected to be seized in the near future, in accordance with the Knesset law.

The enactment of the law followed a series of revelations regarding the involvement of UNRWA employees in the October 7, 2023 terrorist invasion and massacres, as well as evidence that UNRWA facilities in Gaza were used to conceal Israeli hostages. These revelations underscored longstanding concerns about the extremist indoctrination in UNRWA’s schools and the organization’s involvement in supporting terror activity in previous conflicts, spurring the Israeli Knesset into action. The law was passed with overwhelming support across the Israeli political spectrum, with 92 out of 120 MKs voting for the bill.

Under the law, UN immunity and privileges no longer apply to UNRWA, its personnel, or its assets; all licenses, permits, and benefits previously granted to the organization were revoked and sweeping sanctions were imposed, including the termination of electricity, water, gas, telecommunications, and banking services to any property registered under UNRWA, or any individual or entity attempting to operate on UNRWA’s behalf.

Countering not only acts of murder and brutality but the infrastructures which legitimize, incite, fund, aid and facilitate terrorism is a long and arduous task, but when a compound that long served the interests of terror organizations now bears a mezuzah, at least one important step has been taken.

“Zion shall be redeemed with justice,
and her repentant ones with righteousness.”

(Isaiah 1:27)

Hadas Amram contributed to this story