Israel to build military 'museum' on ruins of Unrwa HQ in Jerusalem

Israel to build military 'museum' on ruins of Unrwa HQ in Jerusalem Submitted by Mera Aladam on Mon, 05/18/2026 - 07:35 The area will also house a military recruitment centre and an office for the defence minister Israeli forces demolish the United Nations Relief and Works Agency's (Unrwa) building in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, east Jerusalem, on 20 January 2026 (Ilia Yefimovich/AFP) Off 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. 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 th...

Original source: Middle East Eye