Israel extends campaign against UNRWA to advance West Bank annexation
Israeli forces have raided the Qalandiya Training Centre, operated by the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in occupied East Jerusalem in what authorities and analysts describe as a pivotal step towards dismantling international refugee protections and consolidating control…
Israeli forces have raided the Qalandiya Training Centre, operated by the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in occupied East Jerusalem in what authorities and analysts describe as a pivotal step towards dismantling international refugee protections and consolidating control over the occupied West Bank.
What happened
Tuesday's storming of the UNRWA facility, led by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, was justified by Israeli authorities under October 2024 legislation banning the UN agency, prompting sharp condemnation from Qatar. It cautioned of systematic efforts to strip millions of Palestinians of essential services.
Israeli affairs expert Adel Shadid identified broader territorial ambitions behind the raid, carried out on the boundary line between East Jerusalem and the West Bank. He informed Al Jazeera the assault serves a larger geopolitical scheme involving a historic airport close to the training centre.
The bottom line
For now, israel extends campaign against UNRWA to advance West Bank annexation remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.
