Skip to main content

Good riddance

Starting tomorrow: UNRWA ousted from East Jerusalem 

Israeli government are set to replace the UN agency's health and education programs starting tomorrow.

View of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) offices in Jerusalem, October 29, 2024.
Photo by Arie Leib Abrams/Flash90

In a major shift for East Jerusalem's public services, Israel will assume control of all UNRWA operations in the city starting Thursday, marking the end of the UN agency's decades-long presence in the area. The transition comes three months after the Knesset passed legislation following a landmark Jerusalem Day decision.

The Jerusalem and Israeli Heritage Ministry has finalized plans to take over UNRWA's limited network of seven schools currently serving 788 students and two healthcare facilities in the eastern part of the city. Minister Meir Porush cited UNRWA's alleged involvement in the October 7 attacks as a key factor in expediting the agency's removal.

"This transition isn't just about changing management—it's about upgrading services for all Jerusalem residents," Porush said in a statement today (Wednesday). The ministry has allocated dedicated funding for immediate needs, including student transportation and educational supplies.

Under the new framework, students will be transferred to nearby municipal schools, while a new educational facility for 650 students will be constructed in the Shuafat refugee camp within eight months. The ministry has earmarked 3.5 million shekels ($950,000) to expand healthcare services, including well-baby clinics, with plans for a new multi-purpose medical center in Shuafat.

The change represents the latest move in Israel's broader strategy to strengthen its administrative presence in East Jerusalem, where UNRWA has operated since the aftermath of the 1948 war. The ministry emphasized that the transition is part of a comprehensive five-year plan to modernize public services across East Jerusalem.

Critics of UNRWA have long argued for its removal from Jerusalem, while supporters warn about potential disruptions to essential services. Israeli officials maintain that municipal services will provide higher quality care and education than the UN agency's limited operations in the area.

0