Israeli forces seize UNRWA training centre in East Jerusalem amid legal dispute

Israeli forces carried out a raid on the Qalandiya Training Centre, a United Nations Relief and Work Agency facility in Kafr Aqab, East Jerusalem, after shutting down the adjacent checkpoint and deploying troops throughout nearby districts and the Qalandiya refugee camp. Personnel from UNRWA were forced out and told not to return as the building was evacuated. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir hailed the action, declaring that the agency has no role in Jerusalem and that the site would be repurposed for community services.

The Jerusalem Municipality announced plans for new schools, a mosque, sports grounds and health centres to serve thousands of Palestinians. Israeli authorities argue the land has been owned by the Jewish National Fund since 1937 and was allocated to the municipality, invoking anti-UNRWA legislation passed in October 2024. UNRWA rejects these claims, maintaining the centre’s status as a UN-protected facility, a view echoed by human-rights lawyers who call the takeover a breach of international law and recent International Court of Justice advisory opinions.