Israeli Raid on UNRWA Facility in Qalandiya Advances West Bank Annexation Plans

Israeli forces recently raided the Qalandiya Training Centre, operated by UNRWA on the northern edge of occupied East Jerusalem. Officials and analysts describe the operation as a critical step toward dismantling international refugee protections and consolidating control over the occupied West Bank.

Led by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, the storming of the UNRWA facility was justified under October 2024 legislation banning the UN agency. The move drew sharp condemnation from Qatar, which warned of systematic efforts to strip millions of Palestinians of essential services.

Adel Shadid, an Israeli affairs expert, identified broader territorial ambitions behind the raid. He noted that the assault targets the historic Qalandiya Airport, aiming to establish a massive settlement with over 9,000 units, a Jewish heritage centre, and to erase Jordanian landmarks. This development forms part of the 'Greater Jerusalem' project, which would carve out 12 to 13 percent of the total area of the West Bank.

Retired Lebanese Brigadier General and military analyst Elias Hanna emphasized that the tactical encirclement of urban Palestinian hubs aims to create settlement blocs that sever geographic continuity between Palestinian areas. Meanwhile, UNRWA's media adviser Adnan Abu Hasna highlighted the unprecedented nature of the takeover, noting that the UN flag was lowered in violation of historic bilateral agreements and international humanitarian law. The agency is also facing a severe financial crisis driven by major political defunding campaigns, particularly from the United States.

Anas Abu Arqoub, an Israeli affairs specialist, pointed to the deepening alignment between state forces and armed settlers, warning that these groups possess military combat doctrines capable of executing complete ethnic cleansing in the West Bank. Birzeit University political science Professor Ghassan Khatib added that Washington's decisive role and the weakness of the United Nations position provide the impunity enabling these escalating violations.

Mohammed Saeed, public relations director for the popular committee of the Qalandiya refugee camp, framed the incursion as both diplomatic defiance and domestic political posturing aimed at asserting complete control over the land.