UNRWA Center Raid
Israeli Forces Raid and Evacuate UNRWA Training Center in East Jerusalem
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Key Points
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Israeli government officials, including extremist settler minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, participated in the storming and evacuation of the Qalandiya UNRWA center.
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The Palestinian Foreign Ministry characterized the raid as part of a 'war of extermination against the Palestinian people' and accused it of undermining UNRWA's international rights and mandate.
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Jerusalem authorities claim Kufr Aqab land for a new educational and community complex is owned by the Jewish National Fund since 1937, with plans for multiple facilities, while UNRWA maintains the Qalandia Center is a UN facility protected under international law.
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The raid follows earlier UNRWA-related actions, including the demolition of UNRWA’s East Jerusalem headquarters, and occurs amid Knesset laws passed in October 2024 banning UNRWA activity in East Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories.
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UNRWA’s Qalandia Training Centre is described as the agency’s oldest vocational training center, having served thousands of Palestinian refugees for more than seven decades.
Israeli forces stormed and evacuated the UNRWA Qalandia Training Center in occupied East Jerusalem, seizing a facility that has served Palestinian refugees for over seven decades. Al Jazeera reported that Israeli officials, including hardline settler minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, participated in the raid on the vocational center in Kafr Aqab. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the action as a dangerous escalation and violation of international law protecting UN immunity.
The raid affects approximately 16,000 Palestinian refugees who rely on UNRWA vocational programs, according to Middle East Eye. Israeli authorities claim the land belongs to the Jewish National Fund since 1937 and plan to build an educational and community complex there. UNRWA insists the Qalandia center remains a UN facility protected under international law and should not be seized.
A Seventy-Year-Old Training Center Seized
The Qalandia Training Center is UNRWA's oldest vocational facility, having trained Palestinian refugees since the 1950s. Al Jazeera and Yahoo News both reported that Israeli forces executed the raid, forcibly removing staff and students from the premises in Kafr Aqab. The center operated multiple vocational programs serving thousands of trainees annually before the seizure.
Palestinian Officials Accuse Israel of Systematic Dismantling
Palestine's Foreign Ministry called the raid part of a 'war of extermination against the Palestinian people' and accused Israel of undermining UNRWA's mandate. WAFA reported the ministry's statement condemning the forced evacuation and characterizing it as part of broader efforts to eliminate UNRWA services. Officials argued the seizure violates international agreements protecting UN operations and refugee rights.
This raid follows the demolition of UNRWA's East Jerusalem headquarters and occurs after the Knesset passed laws in October 2024 banning UNRWA activities in occupied territories. Yeni Safak reported that Jerusalem Municipality plans to develop the seized land into new facilities. UNRWA has repeatedly urged international intervention to protect its remaining facilities and services.
Land Ownership Dispute Deepens Long-Running Conflict
Israel claims the Kafr Aqab property has been owned by the Jewish National Fund since 1937, giving the state authority to develop it. Jerusalem authorities announced plans for multiple educational and community buildings on the site. UNRWA counters that the training center operates as a UN facility and cannot be seized under international law protecting UN immunity from host governments.
Pressure Mounts Before Israeli Elections
The raid reflects pressure from hardline Israeli ministers who want UNRWA dismantled entirely before October elections. Minister Ben-Gvir's participation signals backing from far-right factions increasingly influencing government policy. The seizure threatens services to 16,000 refugees across vocational training programs that provide job skills and economic opportunity.
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