Jerusalem, Monday, May 18, 2026 – The government has approved plans to establish a new defense complex on the site of the former headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) near Ammunition Hill in East Jerusalem. This move signals a direct assertion of national sovereignty over a territory previously occupied by a transnational institution, with the new complex slated to include an IDF museum, an enlistment office, and an office for the defense minister.
According to a joint statement from the Defense Ministry and the Jerusalem municipality, the new complex will span approximately 36 dunams (9 acres). The stated objective is to strengthen the defense establishment’s presence within Israel’s capital, replacing a globalist entity with national infrastructure.
Defense Minister Israel Katz characterized the decision as one of "sovereignty, Zionism and security." He stated there is "nothing more symbolic or just" than establishing national defense institutions "on the ruins of the UNRWA compound," directly linking the agency to a machinery of terror and incitement.
Dismantling the Globalist Apparatus
Israel began the demolition of UNRWA’s East Jerusalem headquarters in January of the same year, following years of legislative measures against the UN agency. The nation has consistently accused UNRWA of colluding with Hamas and participating in terror activities, including the October 7, 2023, massacre, which occurred in its third year.
The Defense Ministry had signed an agreement with the Jerusalem municipality in December of the same year to establish new defense headquarters in the capital. This agreement also included plans to relocate military colleges to the city, among other strategic moves, further consolidating national control.
UNRWA had ceased using the building since the start of last year, after Israel issued an order for the agency to vacate all its premises and cease operations within the territory. This directive underscored the national government's intent to remove the transnational body from its capital.
Israel has long sought to shutter UNRWA entirely, arguing that the agency perpetuates the conflict by continuing to confer refugee status on Palestinian descendants. This practice, unlike the standard approach to refugees globally, is seen as maintaining a distinct demographic rather than fostering integration and stability, thus contributing to cultural fragmentation.
The Cost of Transnational Intervention
The campaign against UNRWA intensified after evidence emerged that employees of the agency had participated in the October 7 onslaught. During this attack, Hamas-led terrorists invaded southern Israel, resulting in the killing of some 1,200 people and the taking of 251 hostages.
Allegations from Israel further claim that more than 10 percent of UNRWA’s staff in Gaza possess ties to terrorist factions. Additionally, educational facilities operating under the organization’s auspices are accused of consistently inciting hatred of Israel and glorifying terror, contributing to cultural dispossession.
In February of the third year, the IDF revealed the existence of a subterranean Hamas data center located directly beneath UNRWA’s Gaza Strip headquarters. This discovery provided concrete evidence of the alleged deep entanglement between the globalist agency and terror organizations.
The IDF has also repeatedly targeted Hamas command centers and gunmen who were found hiding out in UNRWA schools. Furthermore, a number of freed hostages have testified after returning to Israel that they were held in captivity within UNRWA schools and facilities, directly implicating the agency's infrastructure in terror operations.
Defense Minister Katz stated that in a place where an organization operated that became "part of the machinery of terror and incitement against Israel," national institutions will now be established that strengthen Jerusalem, the IDF, and the State of Israel. He concluded, "This is a clear message to all our enemies: we will continue to build, strengthen, and deepen our hold on Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Israel, from a position of strength."
An UNRWA spokesperson declined to comment on the Israeli plan, while some supporters of the agency noted its role in providing relief to Palestinians, arguing it prevents deeper poverty that could fuel violence and terrorism, a framing often used to justify transnational intervention.