Israel has seized and closed a UNRWA vocational training college in occupied East Jerusalem, drawing strong condemnation from the United Nations and raising fresh concerns about the agency’s ability to provide services to Palestinian refugees.
Israeli security forces entered the Qalandia Training Centre on Tuesday and expelled its staff from the facility.
The move marks the latest action against the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA.
UN Chief Condemns Qalandia Centre Raid
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the Israeli incursion.
His spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said international law protects UN premises from interference.
He stressed that UN facilities remain “inviolable and immune from any form of interference.”
The United Nations also warned that the closure would deprive young Palestinians of valuable vocational education.
Israeli Minister Joins the Raid
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir took part in the operation.
He later released a video showing himself sitting in the director’s chair at the UNRWA facility.
Ben-Gvir celebrated the action and said UNRWA would no longer operate at the site.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the evacuation of the compound.
Israel Cites Security Allegations
The Israeli government has repeatedly accused UNRWA of links to Hamas and involvement in the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel.
UNRWA strongly rejects those accusations.
Israeli intelligence previously claimed that several UNRWA employees participated in the attack. However, a UN investigation found evidence indicating possible involvement in nine cases and ended the contracts of those employees.
The investigation found insufficient or no evidence in other cases.
Qalandia Centre Served Hundreds of Palestinians
The Qalandia Training Centre opened in 1952.
It provided vocational training to around 340 Palestinians each year.
Students could learn practical skills such as carpentry, car mechanics and plumbing.
Although the centre lies in East Jerusalem, the facility sits behind Israel’s separation barrier between Qalandia and Kafr Aqab.
As a result, it provided an important training opportunity for young people from refugee communities across the West Bank.
Israel Plans Changes to the Site
Israeli authorities said they are removing equipment from the centre.
They also plan to convert part of the compound into a school.
However, UNRWA condemned the operation and said armed forces entered the United Nations facility without UN approval.
The agency described the action as an “unauthorised and deeply concerning incursion.”
New Israeli Restrictions on UNRWA
The closure follows Israeli legislation that came into force last year.
The legislation prevents UNRWA from operating in areas Israel considers part of its territory. East Jerusalem falls under that restriction.
Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 Middle East War and later annexed the area. Most countries do not recognise the annexation.
The legislation also prohibits Israeli state authorities from maintaining contact with UNRWA.
UNRWA Already Lost East Jerusalem Schools
The restrictions have already affected UNRWA education services.
Israeli authorities issued closure orders last year for six UNRWA schools in East Jerusalem.
The decision ended in-person education for around 800 Palestinian children.
Therefore, the closure of the Qalandia centre represents another major blow to UNRWA’s operations in the area.
Netanyahu Defends the Evacuation
Netanyahu defended the operation and said Israel would continue enforcing the legislation against UNRWA.
The Israeli government maintains that the agency should not operate within Israel because of its allegations concerning some employees and Hamas.
UNRWA, however, says it has not received sufficient evidence to support broader Israeli claims about its staff and facilities.
Palestinian Authority Calls for International Action
The Palestinian Authority’s foreign ministry called on the international community to take immediate action.
It urged governments to protect the training centre, secure the return of its personnel and prevent Israel from making the closure permanent.
The ministry described the Israeli operation as an assault on the institution.
Why UNRWA Matters to Palestinian Refugees
UNRWA was established to support Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their homes during the fighting surrounding the creation of Israel in 1948.
Today, the agency provides education, healthcare and other services to more than 900,000 registered Palestinian refugees in the West Bank.
For many Palestinians, UNRWA also represents international recognition of the refugee issue.
Consequently, Israel’s actions against the agency have become highly controversial.
Wider Dispute Over Palestinian Refugees
Many Palestinians view Israeli efforts to restrict UNRWA as part of a broader attempt to remove the refugee issue from negotiations.
The right of Palestinian refugees to return to their historic homes remains one of the most sensitive issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Meanwhile, Israel argues that UNRWA has become politically involved and that its facilities have been misused by armed groups.
The dispute over the agency is therefore closely linked to the wider conflict.
UNRWA Faces Growing Pressure
The seizure of the Qalandia Training Centre adds to growing pressure on UNRWA.
The agency now faces restrictions on its operations, disputes over its neutrality and continued political opposition from Israel.
For Palestinians who depend on its services, however, every closure can mean reduced access to education, healthcare and other essential support.
As tensions continue, the future of UNRWA operations in East Jerusalem remains uncertain.
