UNRWA says over US$5 million in Jerusalem assets at risk after Israeli raid

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has warned that over US$5 million worth of assets at its training center in occupied East Jerusalem are at risk following an Israeli raid. The center, known as the Qalandiya Training Center (KTC), houses dozens of vocational training workshops, classrooms, dormitories, and administrative buildings.

Roland Friedrich, director of UNRWA affairs in the West Bank, reported that Israeli security forces, municipal staff, and an elected official forcibly entered the KTC on August 25, 2025, and displaced UNRWA staff.

According to Friedrich, Israeli authorities continued their presence at the center, engaging in renovation and clearance work. By August 28, 2025, Israeli security forces had reportedly vacated the premises, leaving behind damage to UN assets and signs of looting. The KTC, established in 1952, is UNRWA's oldest technical and vocational training facility in the West Bank, providing free vocational training to 340 young Palestinian refugees annually.

The UNRWA stated the center's importance in delivering education and vocational skills to Palestinian refugee youth. Friedrich emphasized that Israel has a legal obligation to reverse its actions and prevent similar incidents from occurring. This incident follows Israeli authorities' closure of six agency schools and two health centers in East Jerusalem, as well as the seizure and destruction of the agency's main headquarters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

The International Court of Justice had previously reaffirmed Israel's obligation to respect the inviolability of UN premises, including UNRWA facilities, and refrain from interfering with the agency's property and assets.