UNRWA's first and last vocational college in East Jerusalem is under attack
News Source
β’Sat, 29 Aug 2026 12:58:25 +0000
π° What Happened
Israeli troops raided the Qalandiya Training Centre, the last vocational college for Palestinians in East Jerusalem. The raid happened on Tuesday, and around 40 staff members were pushed out. Videos from the centre show classrooms ransacked, doors smashed, and workshops abandoned.
UNRWA says the centre has been raided six times this year. Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir joined police during this incursion. UNRWA also heard reports of people entering the site and trying to steal its contents. The centre was set to open for the new school year on September 1, but now it is off-limits.
π The Backstory
UNRWA is the UN agency that helps Palestinian refugees. It runs schools, clinics, and training centres across the region. The Qalandiya Training Centre teaches skills like mechanics, nursing, and trades, giving young refugees a path to work.
The agency has faced growing political pressure and funding cuts in recent years. Israel has tried to limit UNRWA's activity, and some countries have paused donations. For Palestinian refugees in East Jerusalem, this centre is one of the only places to learn a trade, so losing it hits them hard.
π― Why It Matters
Education and job training are the fastest ways out of poverty. When a school is raided and shut down, young people lose skills they need to support their families. Protecting schools in conflict zones matters for everyone who wants peace to last.
Israeli troops raided the Qalandiya Training Centre, the last vocational college for Palestinians in East Jerusalem. The raid happened on Tuesday, and around 40 staff members were pushed out. Videos from the centre show classrooms ransacked, doors smashed, and workshops abandoned.
UNRWA says the centre has been raided six times this year. Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir joined police during this incursion. UNRWA also heard reports of people entering the site and trying to steal its contents. The centre was set to open for the new school year on September 1, but now it is off-limits.
UNRWA is the UN agency that helps Palestinian refugees. It runs schools, clinics, and training centres across the region. The Qalandiya Training Centre teaches skills like mechanics, nursing, and trades, giving young refugees a path to work.
The agency has faced growing political pressure and funding cuts in recent years. Israel has tried to limit UNRWA's activity, and some countries have paused donations. For Palestinian refugees in East Jerusalem, this centre is one of the only places to learn a trade, so losing it hits them hard.
Education and job training are the fastest ways out of poverty. When a school is raided and shut down, young people lose skills they need to support their families. Protecting schools in conflict zones matters for everyone who wants peace to last.