Qalandiya: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates organized today a field visit for the diplomatic corps accredited to the State of Palestine to Qalandiya refugee camp to observe firsthand the crimes and violations committed by the Israeli occupation. The tour, which included 28 diplomatic missions, featured visits to the Qalandiya Training Center, which the occupation seeks to close and take control of, as well as to Qalandiya Girls' School and the camp. The diplomats viewed several targeted and damaged sites and received briefings on the humanitarian and service conditions and their repercussions on residents and civilian facilities.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Roland Friedrich, Director of UNRWA Affairs in the West Bank, stated in a remote address that the vocational training center is part of UNRWA's education program. He added that the agency provides several services to more than 1.1 million registered beneficiaries in the West Bank, including Jerusalem. Friedrich pointed out that the Israeli occupation authorities have closed several UNRWA facilities, including schools and clinics, in violation of international law.
Omar Awadallah, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, emphasized the indispensability of UNRWA, particularly amid the genocide in Gaza. He stated that by targeting UNRWA premises, Israel aims to leave the Palestinian people uneducated and without a future. Awadallah highlighted that UNRWA's work is crucial in supporting the Palestinian people by providing knowledge and essential tools, with the Qalandiya Training Center being a prime example.
Abdullah Siam, Deputy Governor of Jerusalem, noted that the tour followed the targeting of the camp and the vocational training center. He expressed hope that the tour would help deter the occupation, which he argued now operates outside the framework of international law.
Mohammad Alyan, head of the National Committee for the Defense of the Right of Return, stated that the occupation is taking escalating measures aimed at restricting UNRWA's work. He added that these measures extend beyond administrative restrictions to target UNRWA's premises, facilities, staff, and services, directly disrupting the agency's operations.
Kanaan Al-Jamal, director of the UNRWA file at the PLO's Department of Refugee Affairs, provided a briefing on the occupation's measures against UNRWA. He highlighted that the Israeli Knesset has designated the agency as a hostile organization and is directly targeting refugee camps to bring an end to the refugee issue. Al-Jamal noted the extensive devastation suffered by UNRWA's assets, particularly in the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank.
On August 5, Israeli occupation forces raided the camp, imposed a comprehensive two-day siege, and caused extensive damage to property. The Qalandiya refugee camp holds strategic importance in Israeli plans due to its location at the northern gateway to the Jerusalem Governorate, where major colonization projects are reshaping the city's landscape.