Israel seizes UN facility in East Jerusalem - and vows to close it down

Israeli authorities have sparked another confrontation with the United Nations after seizing a UN facility in East Jerusalem and promising to close it down permanently.Police entered a training centre run by UNRWA, the agency that supports Palestinian refugees, ordering the staff to leave and take control of the facility, known as the Qalandiya training centre. They were accompanied by far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who echoed long-standing criticism of the agency. The Israeli government claims that UNRWA had become "riddled" with Hamas members, some of whom took part in the October 7 attacks.Ben-Gvir was filmed sitting behind a desk he said was used previously by the training centre director. "UNRWA is out," he said. "The terrorists must be expelled from every place in the State of Israel." Image: An aerial view of the centre. Pic: Reuters UNRWA terminated the contracts of nine members of staff accused of involvement in the October 7 attacks, but said Israel has not supplied evidence to substantiate its allegations of widespread infiltration by Hamas. In a statement, UNRWA said that "it unequivocally condemns" Israel's seizure of the facility and said that "...