UNRWA chief Christian Saunders said Israel wants to dissolve the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and “erase” the Palestinian refugee issue. In an interview with Al Jazeera, he described an Israeli raid on UNRWA’s Qalandiya training centre near occupied East Jerusalem as part of a broader effort to eliminate the United Nations’ presence in the occupied Palestinian territory. Israeli forces took control of the centre in the Kafr Aqab area on Tuesday, forcing UNRWA staff to leave.

At least seven Palestinians were injured by Israeli fire during the operation, according to the source. Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir took part in the raid and declared that the agency has no place in Jerusalem or Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported the operation and the decision to evacuate the facility, saying the step was legal under Israeli law and accusing UNRWA of assisting Hamas in the October 7, 2023 attack.

Saunders rejected the idea that the issue concerned only one facility. He said cutting UNRWA funding and dissolving it would be intended to end refugee claims, including return, restitution and compensation. The closure will also deprive 340 young people of education and vocational training provided by the centre.