JERUSALEM: The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East warned on Tuesday that any unlawful closure or seizure of the Qalandia Training College by Israeli authorities would deprive Palestinians essential education and vocational training services provided under the agency’s mandate from the UN General Assembly.
The warning came during an online briefing by UNRWA Director of Affairs in the West Bank Roland Friedrich as part of a media tour organized by the college to highlight its work and the ongoing Israeli threats against it.
Friedrich said Qalandia Training College was UNRWA’s first and oldest vocational training institute, established more than 70 years ago, and has graduated thousands of Palestine refugees who have entered local and regional labor markets.
He stressed that the college was a UN facility protected by the privileges and immunities guaranteed under international law.
He added that the college enrolls hundreds of Palestine refugee students from across the occupied West Bank each year, aged between 15 and 19, providing free vocational education, particularly in light of the difficult social and economic conditions facing refugees.
Friedrich said the college has faced ongoing threats from Israeli authorities in recent months to close and seize the facility, stressing that the entry of Israeli forces onto the premises without prior authorization constitutes a violation of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the UN.
The warning comes amid escalating Israeli threats to evacuate the college and confiscate its buildings after Israeli forces raided the campus five times since the beginning of the year.
The most significant raids occurred on Feb. 18, May 11, June 30 and July 27, when Israeli forces, accompanied by police officers and officials from the Israeli municipality in occupied Jerusalem.
The Israelis detained around 80 students participating in training activities, and 45 staff members, preventing them from leaving the campus without presenting official notices or documents.
The media tour included visits to the college’s facilities and an overview of the vocational programs and training provided to hundreds of students from refugee camps.
Located north of occupied Jerusalem, opposite Qalandia refugee camp, the college spans 88 dunums (88,000 sq. meters) and currently serves around 270 students enrolled in 16 vocational specialties.
It also provides dormitory accommodation, nursing services, counseling, awareness programs, and vocational guidance. The college graduates between 250 and 300 students annually.
In October 2024, the Israeli Knesset passed two laws, one banning UNRWA’s activities in areas under what Israel defines as its sovereignty, and the other prohibiting official contact with the agency.
