Israel Builds Military HQ on UNRWA Ruins: Katz Calls Move Symbol of Sovereignty, Security” (Alternative options if preferred:) “Israel Approves New Military Base on UNRWA Site in East Jerusalem” “UNRWA Headquarters Demolished: Israel Plans Defense Complex in Jerusalem

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Israel has approved plans to establish a new military complex on the site of the former United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) headquarters in East Jerusalem, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Sunday. The move follows the demolition of the UNRWA compound in 2024 after Israeli authorities accused the agency of colluding with Hamas during the October 7, 2023 attacks.

The Israeli cabinet’s decision—approved May 17—marks the latest escalation in a dispute over UNRWA’s role in Palestinian refugee aid, which Israel has increasingly framed as a security threat. The new compound, covering approximately nine acres near Ammunition Hill, will house an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) museum, military recruitment offices, and facilities for the defense minister’s office.

Katz described the project as a “decision of sovereignty, Zionism and security,” arguing that establishing defense institutions on the former UNRWA site—originally created for Palestinians displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war—was “nothing more symbolic or just.” The defense minister’s remarks reflect broader Israeli government rhetoric portraying UNRWA as an organization compromised by Hamas influence, despite UN investigations that found limited evidence of direct involvement among staff.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini condemned the demolition and planned construction as “a new level of open and deliberate defiance of international law.” The agency operates critical aid programs for over 5 million Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, with more than 2.3 million displaced by Israel’s military campaign in Gaza since 2023. Over one million Palestinians currently shelter in UNRWA facilities, while UN agencies warn of catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the enclave, including widespread hunger and overcrowded refugee camps.

Israel has repeatedly denied accusations of deliberately targeting civilians in Gaza, maintaining that Hamas has diverted food aid and obstructed humanitarian deliveries. The IDF’s seizure of the UNRWA compound in 2024 followed legislation banning the agency’s activities in areas under Israeli control, citing concerns over alleged Hamas ties among staff. An internal UNRWA probe in 2024 found that nine employees “may have been involved” in the October 7 attacks, though the agency stressed this represented a tiny fraction of its workforce.

The new military complex represents a symbolic victory for Israeli hardliners who have long opposed Palestinian refugee aid programs. It also underscores the growing militarization of East Jerusalem, a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The decision comes amid heightened tensions following Israel’s recent demolition of Palestinian homes and infrastructure in the West Bank, which Palestinian officials have condemned as collective punishment.

Humanitarian organizations warn the closure of UNRWA facilities could exacerbate the crisis in Gaza, where the UN estimates over 72,000 Palestinians have been killed since 2023. The Israeli government has not provided a timeline for the construction of the new defense compound, though Katz’s remarks suggest it will proceed rapidly.