Israeli forces raid UNRWA training centre in East Jerusalem
Israeli forces raided and closed the Kalandia Training College, an UNRWA facility in East Jerusalem, drawing UN condemnation.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Israeli security forces raided the Kalandia Training College, a UNRWA vocational training centre in occupied East Jerusalem, in an operation aimed at permanently closing the facility. About 50 members of the security forces entered the college, expelled staff, and remained on site the following day.
The college, which had operated for more than 70 years, trained around 340 Palestinians each year in vocational skills, drawing students from West Bank refugee camps. It was the last major UNRWA facility still functioning in East Jerusalem, located behind Israel's West Bank barrier and accessible to West Bank Palestinians.
The raid was accompanied by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who posted a video of himself sitting in the director's chair, underlining that the facility was now in his hands. The Israeli prime minister's office issued a statement saying the raid was a directive from the prime minister, following legislation passed last year that prohibits Israeli officials from contacting UNRWA and bars the agency from operating on territory Israel considers its own, including East Jerusalem.
The United Nations condemned the raid. A spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was greatly alarmed, and the UN stressed that the facility, as a UN building, has privileges and immunities under international law. The Palestinian foreign ministry also called for international intervention.
The raid highlights the escalating pressure on UNRWA, which has faced repeated Israeli criticism and legal restrictions. The closure of the Kalandia college removes a key training resource for Palestinian refugees, and the UN has warned of the humanitarian and legal consequences of such actions.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News |
|---|---|
| Israeli security forces raided Kalandia Training College, accompanied by far-right Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, aiming to permanently close it, and the PM's office cited legislation banning UNRWA operations. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC News provided detailed on-the-ground reporting from Jerusalem, focusing on the significance of the Kalandia Training College as the last major UNRWA facility in East Jerusalem, the involvement of far-right minister Ben-Gvir, and the legal basis for the raid. It also gave context on the broader political climate, including a separate incident involving an Israeli MP, but the main story was covered with a clear explanation of the UN's condemnation.
- “The UN Secretary-General has condemned a raid by Israeli forces on a training centre run by the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees in occupied East Jerusalem.”
- “So the Kalandia Training College was really there for more than 70 years and training something like 340 Palestinians each year in vocational skills coming from the West Bank refugee camps.”
- “They were accompanied on their raid by the far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who then put out a video showing himself sitting in the chair of the director of the institute wanting to underline how it was now in his hands.”
Broadcast Timeline
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