Palestinian presidency urges UN Security Council to convene after Israeli raid on UN offices

On Tuesday, the Jerusalem Municipality commenced construction on a new educational and community center at the UNRWA facility in Kafr Akab, as reported by the Foreign Ministry. An initial NIS 40 million investment will fund the project, which includes a municipal high school set to open at the start of the school year. The long-term vision encompasses additional schools, a mosque, and facilities for sports, community, and healthcare to serve thousands of Arab residents in the neighborhood.

The site in question is the Kalandia Training Centre, a vocational education institution operated by UNRWA for over 70 years. This center currently trains approximately 350 Palestinian youths in various skills, including vehicle maintenance, plumbing, carpentry, renewable energy, and information technology. The Kalandia Training Centre is situated adjacent to the Kalandia refugee camp but is considered part of Jerusalem's municipal territory, according to Israeli law. Kafr Akab is located in the northernmost part of Jerusalem, beyond the security barrier.

The Jewish National Fund has owned the land since 1937, and it was allocated to the municipality. UNRWA, however, claims no property rights to the site, accusing the agency of fencing off necessary land for local schools and public services. UNRWA maintains that the land was made available by the Jordanian government before Israel's capture of east Jerusalem in 1967, and they consider the training center a protected UN installation.

They have warned that its closure would eliminate a crucial vocational institution for Palestinian youths across the West Bank.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir led the initiative to take control of the compound and remove UNRWA. He described the municipal work as a police operation to assert control and remove UNRWA, accusing the agency of providing cover for Hamas. Ben-Gvir argued that the work began five days after a petition to the High Court over his failure to implement the law.

The petitioners, including MK Yulia Malinovsky and others, claim the government missed a 30-day deadline set by a December 2025 amendment to take possession of the Kafr Akab site. They are seeking a binding court deadline from the High Court to enforce the state's control over the site.