Christian Saunders, the acting Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), condemned the Israeli seizure of its training center in East Jerusalem. He described the raid as part of a campaign to weaken the agency and eliminate Palestinian rights. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Saunders accused Israel of violating UN premises and stated that the agency would continue its work despite the challenges.
Israeli forces raided the Qalandiya Training Centre in the Kafr Aqab neighborhood on Tuesday, expelling UNRWA employees and instructing them not to return. The Jerusalem governorate reported that five Palestinians were injured by Israeli gunfire near the site.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir participated in the raid, asserting that there is 'no place for the agency in Jerusalem and Israel.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the evacuation as lawful, citing legislation passed by Israel.
Saunders noted that the takeover of the facility deprives 340 young Palestinians of education and violates protections for UN premises under international law. He emphasized that these students, primarily from disadvantaged families, would miss out on essential skills needed for a dignified life. The Qalandiya center is part of UNRWA's network serving approximately 16,000 refugees from the Qalandiya refugee camp and surrounding areas.
The raid occurred after the closure of the nearby Qalandiya checkpoint and a significant Israeli military presence in the area. Israeli authorities claimed the property was owned by the Jewish National Fund and allocated it to the Jerusalem Municipality for a planned educational complex, citing legislation passed in October 2024 that restricts UNRWA's activities. UNRWA rejected these claims, asserting that the center is a UN facility protected under international law.
Saunders expressed concerns about the ongoing pressure on UNRWA amidst the conflict in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, highlighting that several agency workers have been killed. He linked the campaign against UNRWA to broader issues of Palestinian refugee rights, stating that defunding the agency would undermine the right of return and compensation for Palestinian refugees.
He reiterated that UNRWA's mandate is derived from the United Nations General Assembly, and its role is to provide humanitarian services while the political dispute remains unresolved. Saunders acknowledged the limitations of the UN in preventing further incursions without collective action from member states, stating, 'The United Nations is the sum of its member states, and its member states need to have the collective determination to address this issue.'