Ben-Gvir says Israel is “making history” by expelling UNRWA

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The Israel Land Authority teams accompanied by Israeli police and Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir demolish structures at the headquarters of UNRWA in Jerusalem on January 20, 2026. [Mostafa Alkharouf - Anadolu Agency]https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AA-20260120-40309437-40309424-ISRAEL_DEMOLISH_THE_UNRWA_HEADQUARTERS_IN_JERUSALEM.jpg" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" width="1202" />
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Tuesday that Israel was “making history” by removing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from its facilities, following an Israeli operation at the agency’s Qalandia training centre.

In a video posted on X from inside the facility, Ben-Gvir accused UNRWA of supporting “terrorism” and declared that the agency would not be allowed to return to the site. “The director of the UNRWA institute used to sit here, and now I am sitting in his place,” Ben-Gvir said. “Under my watch, there is no UNRWA and no director.

They will not return here.” He said Israeli police, the military, the prison service and other security agencies had participated […]

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