Israeli authorities have approved the creation of a new military complex in place of where the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) headquarters in Jerusalem once stood.
According to official statements on Sunday, 36 dunams of land (nearly 8.9 acres) will be allocated to the establishment of a military museum, a recruitment centre and an office for the defence minister.
Israel Katz said in a post on X that the decision came in light of Jerusalem Day, a national holiday marking the start of the occupation of East Jerusalem by Israeli forces after the 1967 war.
Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory is unlawful under international law due to its permanence and the Israeli government’s de-facto annexation policies.
“We outlawed this terror-supporting UN organisation and took the land, and now on its ruins we are building and strengthening Jerusalem – the eternal capital of the Jewish people,” Katz added.
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In late January, the Unrwa compound in Sheikh Jarrah was demolished by Israeli forces in an escalating campaign to dismantle the agency’s presence in East Jerusalem.
Israel’s government has long been hostile towards Unrwa, partially because it upholds the refugee status of Palestinians who were expelled from their homes in the 1948 Nakba and their descendants.
היום, ביום ירושלים, שחררנו אזור חדש בירושלים כאשר הממשלה בראשות רה”מ בנימין נתניהו אישרה את הצעתי להקמת מתחם של משרד הביטחון בסמוך לגבעת התחמושת, שיכלול לשכת גיוס, מוזיאון צה”ל ולשכת שר ביטחון – במקום מתחם אונר”א שנהרס.
הוצאנו את ארגון האו”ם תומך הטרור הזה מחוץ לחוק ולקחנו את… pic.twitter.com/QsZHV9VLVI— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) May 17, 2026
In January 2024, Israel accused 12 Unrwa workers of involvement in the 7 October Hamas-led attacks, alleging they had distributed ammunition and assisted in kidnappings of civilians.
A UN review published in April 2024 found no evidence of wrongdoing by Unrwa staff, noting that Israel had neither responded to requests for names and information nor “informed Unrwa of any concrete concerns relating to Unrwa staff since 2011”.
Similar statements by the Israeli government has been made against Unrwa, claiming it had ties to “terrorist” entities and individuals. However, no evidence has been found to back up such allegations.
The latest plan includes the transferring of the military induction centre to be relocated on the ruins of the Unrwa complex from Jerusalem’s Romema neighbourhood.
The transfer is especially due to the tension created among Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community, who have long protested their recruitment into the military.
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Meanwhile, rights groups and experts have warned that the removal of Unrwa leaves Palestinian refugees in the occupied territory vulnerable.
The agency is the primary source of humanitarian support for an estimated 5.9 million Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza and neighbouring countries.
This includes the provision of basic services such as education, food, medical care and the distribution of fuel. Its closure could lead to the collapse of the primary lifeline for Palestinians.
The Jerusalem Governorate stressed that the construction of Israeli army facilities in place of the agency is a “serious escalation and a blatant violation of international law”.
It added that the project constitutes a “serious breach” of the Fourth Geneva Convention and a violation of the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.
The plan reflects an “escalating colonial trend to impose new Judaizing realities in occupied Jerusalem” the office said, adding that the decision strengthens the occupation’s narrative, effectively eraseing Palestinian history in the area.
