UNRWA's East Jerusalem College Seized by Israel Amid International Condemnation

Israeli security forces seized and closed the Qalandia Training Centre, the last remaining UNRWA-operated facility in East Jerusalem, on Tuesday, drawing condemnation from UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

The raid, which involved tear gas fired in Qalandia refugee camp, occurred amid escalating tensions between Israel and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Guterres’ spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, stated that UN premises are "inviolable and immune from any form of interference" under international law.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the operation, accusing UNRWA of involvement in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel—a claim the agency denies. The Israeli government has long opposed UNRWA, passing legislation last year banning the agency from operating in what it considers its territory, including East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed in a move not recognized by most countries.

The Qalandia Training Centre, established in 1952, provided vocational training to around 340 Palestinians annually in skills such as carpentry, mechanics, and plumbing. Located behind Israel’s separation barrier, it served students from refugee camps across the West Bank. Staff have been expelled, and Israeli authorities say equipment is being removed, with plans to repurpose part of the facility as a school.

UNRWA condemned the raid as an "unauthorised and deeply concerning incursion," calling the entry of armed forces into a UN facility without consent "unacceptable." The agency provides education, healthcare, and other services to over 900,000 registered refugees in the West Bank.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right politician, participated in the raid and released a video of himself sitting in the director’s chair at the college. In previous statements, he has vowed to remove UNRWA from Israel.

Israel has repeatedly accused UNRWA of ties to militant groups, claiming that at least 19 of its employees participated in the October 7 attacks, which killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in the abduction of 251 hostages. A UN investigation found possible involvement in nine cases, leading to the termination of those employees’ contracts. UNRWA maintains that it has not received sufficient evidence from Israel to substantiate broader claims, including allegations that 10% of its Gaza staff have links to armed groups or that its facilities are used for military purposes.

The Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the international community to "take immediate and effective measures" to protect the college and prevent Israel from making the seizure permanent.

UNRWA, established in 1949 to support Palestinians displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, remains a key institution in the Palestinian refugee issue. Many Palestinians view Israel’s actions against UNRWA as part of a broader effort to undermine the right of return, a core issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.