Israel begins construction of new complex on ruins of UNRWA headquarters in Kafr Aqab, Jerusalem - Sarmad
Israel announced the start of renovation work on a new educational and community complex in the Kafr Aqab neighborhood of East Jerusalem, to be built on the ruins of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) headquarters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, “Based on my directives, and in continuation of the law we passed, the evacuation of the UNRWA complex in Kafr Aqab in Jerusalem began today.” He added, “Israel will not allow an organization whose employees were involved in terrorism and the October 7 massacre to operate within its territory, and it will work against it by all available means.”
In this regard, Oren Marmorstein, spokesperson for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the Jerusalem Municipality had begun renovation works “for the benefit of thousands of Arab residents of the neighborhood,” adding that the municipality is investing more than 40 million shekels in the project, including a new municipal boys’ high school scheduled to open next September.
He clarified that the complex will be built on a plot of land owned by the Jewish National Fund since 1937, which was allocated to the Jerusalem Municipality for this purpose. He noted that the site is expected to include additional schools, a mosque, and sports and health facilities in the coming years.
The spokesperson accused UNRWA of having built walls around its compound for decades despite having no ownership rights to the land, thereby depriving local residents of spaces they urgently need to establish schools and community services. He also pointed out that UNRWA’s activities are banned in Israel under the law, citing alleged evidence of its employees’ involvement in the October 7, 2023 attacks and ties to Hamas—claims that UNRWA and the United Nations have repeatedly denied.
For his part, Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir announced on behalf of the police that forces had taken control of the UNRWA compound in Kafr Aqab, stating that a large contingent of Israeli police officers had removed the agency from the site that morning.
Ben-Gvir described UNRWA as an organization “whose staff have been involved in terrorist acts and which has long served as a cover for Hamas,” affirming that “sovereignty is not discussed merely in words, but exercised in practice,” and that “Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel and will remain so, and any entity attempting to establish terrorist strongholds there will be eliminated.”
The Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson concluded his remarks by saying, “While UNRWA engages in politics, the Jerusalem Municipality is improving the daily lives of all its residents, both Jews and Arabs.”
