Story perspectives

UNRWA Warns: Kalandia Center Closure Threatens Refugee Education

1/25/2026

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UNRWA Warns Closure

The Kalandia Training Center, which serves 350 young male students in the West Bank, could close due to Israeli land expropriation, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reports.
UNRWA spokesperson Jonathan Fowler warns the closure would deprive Palestinian refugees of education.
Israel has begun demolishing UNRWA structures in East Jerusalem based on a claim of ties to Hamas, a claim UNRWA denies.

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McEntee Condemns Demolitions

The Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee condemned Israel's demolition of UNRWA buildings in East Jerusalem, warning it harms Palestinian refugees.
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese described the demolitions as part of a broader assault on the UN and urged a special session of the General Assembly.
Albanese proposed suspending Israel's UN membership for violations of international law.
UNRWA operations are increasingly restricted, raising concerns about education at Qalandia Training Center.

History

Historical Context

The establishment of Israel in 1948 resulted in the displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians, marking the Nakba, or "catastrophe." In response, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was created in 1949 to assist refugees. Recent demolitions of UNRWA facilities in East Jerusalem, as highlighted by officials like Francesca Albanese, threaten educational access and reflect ongoing tensions rooted in this historical conflict.

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UNRWA Warns Closure

The Kalandia Training Center, which serves 350 young male students in the West Bank, could close due to Israeli land expropriation, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reports.
UNRWA spokesperson Jonathan Fowler warns the closure would deprive Palestinian refugees of education.
Israel has begun demolishing UNRWA structures in East Jerusalem based on a claim of ties to Hamas, a claim UNRWA denies.

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