By SCM International Desk I Tuesday, August 25, 2026
NEW YORK — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a sharp condemnation on Tuesday regarding actions by Israeli authorities to unlawfully enter and occupy the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Kalandia Training Centre in occupied East Jerusalem.
In a strongly worded statement, Mr. Guterres called the unauthorized entry and construction activities at the facility “wholly unacceptable” and urged the Israeli government to vacate the premises immediately.
”I condemn in the strongest terms today’s actions by the Israeli authorities to unlawfully enter and remain on the UNRWA Kalandia Training Centre in occupied East Jerusalem and carry out unauthorized works in those premises,” Mr. Guterres said.
He added that he was “greatly alarmed at this development, as it will deprive young people from the vocational education they were receiving.”
The diplomatic friction follows a series of policy shifts and legislative measures passed by Israel targeting UNRWA, the primary UN agency providing education, healthcare, and social services to millions of Palestinian refugees across the Middle East.
Legal Status: Under the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, UN premises are inviolable and immune from search, requisition, or any form of interference.
The Kalandia Facility: Established decades ago, the Kalandia Training Centre has served as a critical educational hub providing vocational training in trade, technology, and craftsmanship for thousands of young Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Israeli Position: Israeli authorities have increasingly sought to curb or completely halt UNRWA’s operational footprint in Jerusalem, alleging organizational bias and overlap with municipal services, claims that the UN and international diplomatic bodies strongly dispute.
Mr. Guterres emphasized that Israel remains bound by international legal obligations to respect United Nations property and personnel.
“I urge the Government of Israel to immediately cease the interference with UNRWA premises, vacate, return and restore all affected premises to the UN without delay, and protect those premises from further interference or damage,” he stated.
The diplomatic row over the Kalandia campus highlights broader geopolitical friction regarding the administration of East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed following the 1967 Six-Day War—a move not recognized by the majority of the international community.
International human rights organizations and UN officials warn that dismantling UNRWA’s operational capacity in East Jerusalem will leave thousands of young people without vital access to accredited trade education and basic humanitarian infrastructure, compounding socio-economic distress in the region.
