After Israeli seizure of Kalandia training centre, UNRWA warns of impact on youth
UNRWA reports Israeli forces seized its Kalandia Vocational Training Centre in occupied East Jerusalem, leaving 340 young men without education and training, as the UN demands immediate restoration of the facility.
The UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, reported that Israeli security forces forcibly entered and seized the Kalandia Vocational Training Centre in occupied East Jerusalem on 24 August, marking the last UNRWA facility still operating in the city. The agency stated that Israeli authorities had previously closed its other schools and clinics in East Jerusalem, and the United Nations condemned the seizure as a violation of UN privileges and immunities. Secretary-General António Guterres called for the immediate return and restoration of all affected UNRWA premises to the UN without delay.
UNRWA Director of Affairs in the West Bank, Roland Friedrich, described the seizure as part of a broader effort by the Israeli Government to end UNRWA’s activities in occupied East Jerusalem, following the adoption of what he termed 'anti-UNRWA' legislation over a year ago. The Kalandia centre provides vocational training to 340 young men from refugee camps across the West Bank, and its closure deprives them of education and future opportunities. Friedrich warned that the ongoing Israeli presence at the centre, including alterations to the facility, constitutes an unacceptable violation of UN privileges.
According to Friedrich, Israeli forces arrived on Tuesday morning, forcibly entered the compound, and temporarily held 24 UNRWA staff members on site before releasing them. He emphasized that the incident violates the inviolability of UN premises and the immunities of UN staff, as required under international law and the UN Charter. The UN has demanded the urgent restoration of the centre to its pre-seizure state, while Israel’s actions are framed within previously enacted legislation targeting UNRWA’s operations in East Jerusalem.
Friedrich explained that UN privileges and immunities, including the inviolability of premises and protection of staff, are obligations for all UN Member States under the UN Charter and the General Convention. He stressed that the seizure sets a dangerous precedent for UN operations worldwide, particularly in conflict zones. UNRWA continues to provide critical humanitarian aid in the West Bank and Gaza, including education, health services, and social protection, despite shrinking humanitarian space and increasing challenges to its work in the occupied Palestinian territory.