Israeli Municipality Initiates Renovation Work at UNRWA’s Qalandiya Institute in Occupied Jerusalem

Gaza: Israeli municipality began work on Wednesday inside the Qalandiya Vocational Training Institute, run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), in Kafr Aqab, north of occupied Jerusalem. According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the Jerusalem Governorate reported that Israeli municipal technical crews entered the institute to commence what they described as 'maintenance and renovation' efforts within its facilities, aiming to prepare for the arrival of students. This development is part of a broader initiative to establish an educational complex within the institute, which is intended to serve the interests of the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem. The Governorate views this move as an attempt to reinforce control over the institute and further the occupation's colonial Judaization objectives. Israeli forces have maintained their control over the institute for the second consecutive day, following an evacuation that occurred on Tuesday. The Qalandiya Vocational Training Institute, established in 1952, was the first UNRWA center in Palestine. It occupies an area of 80 dunams and houses training workshops, classrooms, dormitories, and administrative buildings. The institute annually accommodates hundreds of students from West Bank camps, currently hosting approximately 270 students across 16 professional specializations. Each year, it produces between 250 and 300 graduates.