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Israel Seizes UNRWA Site in Jerusalem, Sparks UN Appeal
(MENAFN) Israel announced Tuesday that it had seized the Qalandia Training Center, a facility run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), north of occupied East Jerusalem — a move that drew an immediate demand from the Palestinian presidency for urgent intervention by the UN Security Council.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the Jerusalem Municipality had launched work to build a new educational and community complex in the Kafr Aqab neighborhood, claiming the project would ultimately serve thousands of Palestinian residents.
According to the ministry, the land has been owned by the Jewish National Fund since 1937 and was allocated to the municipality specifically for this development.
The ministry said the finished complex is envisioned to eventually house additional schools, a mosque, sports facilities, and health clinics.
Israel further claimed that UNRWA had fenced off the property for decades despite holding no legal ownership over it, pointing to legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset in October 2024 that banned the agency's operations inside Israel.
UNRWA rejects that characterization, insisting the Qalandia Training Center is a United Nations facility shielded by international law.
In response, the Palestinian presidency called for an emergency session of the UN Security Council to adopt “binding decisions and measures” aimed at stopping Israeli actions against UN properties and institutions in East Jerusalem and Qalandia.
A statement carried by an official Palestinian news agency said Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had entered UN facilities as part of a broader effort to demolish UNRWA's presence in Qalandia.
The presidency demanded international protection for the facilities so they could continue serving Palestinian refugees, describing assaults on UN premises in occupied Palestinian territory — including East Jerusalem — as a “serious violation” of international law and the immunity granted to international institutions.
It also pressed the international community to enforce relevant UN resolutions, specifically Security Council Resolution 2334, and to stop Israeli measures it said were eroding prospects for a two-state solution.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the Jerusalem Municipality had launched work to build a new educational and community complex in the Kafr Aqab neighborhood, claiming the project would ultimately serve thousands of Palestinian residents.
According to the ministry, the land has been owned by the Jewish National Fund since 1937 and was allocated to the municipality specifically for this development.
The ministry said the finished complex is envisioned to eventually house additional schools, a mosque, sports facilities, and health clinics.
Israel further claimed that UNRWA had fenced off the property for decades despite holding no legal ownership over it, pointing to legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset in October 2024 that banned the agency's operations inside Israel.
UNRWA rejects that characterization, insisting the Qalandia Training Center is a United Nations facility shielded by international law.
In response, the Palestinian presidency called for an emergency session of the UN Security Council to adopt “binding decisions and measures” aimed at stopping Israeli actions against UN properties and institutions in East Jerusalem and Qalandia.
A statement carried by an official Palestinian news agency said Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had entered UN facilities as part of a broader effort to demolish UNRWA's presence in Qalandia.
The presidency demanded international protection for the facilities so they could continue serving Palestinian refugees, describing assaults on UN premises in occupied Palestinian territory — including East Jerusalem — as a “serious violation” of international law and the immunity granted to international institutions.
It also pressed the international community to enforce relevant UN resolutions, specifically Security Council Resolution 2334, and to stop Israeli measures it said were eroding prospects for a two-state solution.
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