UNRWA’s first and last vocational college in East Jerusalem is under threat

What the report says

Israel’s latest action against the Qalandiya Training Centre in occupied East Jerusalem has put the UNRWA-run vocational college at risk of closure, according to Al Jazeera. Israeli troops and police raided the site on Tuesday, expelled about 40 staff members and, by Friday, had withdrawn while a drone remained overhead. UNRWA said the facility had been damaged during the operation and reported signs of broken glass, vandalism and ransacked rooms.

The centre, established in 1952, is described by the agency as East Jerusalem’s last remaining vocational training institution for Palestinian refugees. It offers two-year programmes in 16 fields, including carpentry, telecommunications and interior design, and UNRWA says about 340 students graduate each year, with many finding work afterward. Registration for the new school year was open until September 1, but the agency said the centre was off-limits for now and hoped it could reopen as soon as possible.

Al Jazeera reported that Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir accompanied police during the raid, while Israel’s foreign ministry said the land would be transferred to the Jerusalem municipality and used as an educational complex. UNRWA disputes Israel’s claim to the property, saying the site lies in occupied territory and is protected under international law. The centre’s possible closure is significant because it would remove a major pathway into employment for Palestinian refugees and add to pressure already facing UNRWA in East Jerusalem.