The approval came from the occupation government, according to a joint statement by the Ministry of Defense and the Jerusalem Municipality, which is under the Israeli occupation authorities.
On January 20, Israel announced the takeover of the UNRWA headquarters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, after storming it and destroying facilities inside.
At the time, the extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said during his storming of the headquarters: "This is a historic day, a day of celebration, and a very important day for the rule of Jerusalem," according to a statement he issued.
The joint statement said: "The government has approved the establishment of an Israeli army museum, a new recruitment office, and an office for the Minister of Defense in the police school complex near Ammunition Hill, on the grounds of the former UNRWA compound."
According to the statement, the Ministry of Defense will be allocated "36 dunams (a dunam equals one thousand square meters) to establish the new Israeli Army Museum and a state-of-the-art recruitment office."
The statement quoted Katz as saying, "The government decision we made today concerns sovereignty, Zionism, and security," according to his expression.
Katz attacked UNRWA, saying: "Nothing is more symbolic than establishing a recruitment office on the ruins of the UNRWA compound, and this is a clear message to all our enemies: We continue to build Jerusalem, and strengthen our control over it from a position of strength."
For his part, Israeli Minister of Construction and Housing Haim Katz said: "The establishment of the army museum and the new recruitment office in the former UNRWA compound is a necessary and important step," according to the same source.
Attacking UNRWA despite its humanitarian role, the minister said: "We are transforming a space that was used by a hostile international body into a space that seeks to preserve Israel's heritage and improve the conditions of conscripts."
“Dangerous escalation”
For its part, the Jerusalem Governorate considered Tel Aviv's approval of converting the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) into Israeli military facilities a "serious escalation and a blatant violation of international law."
In a statement issued on Sunday, the governorate called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to take urgent steps to refer Israel to the International Court of Justice if it does not repeal the laws and measures targeting UNRWA.
The governorate added that converting UNRWA headquarters into Israeli military facilities is a "flagrant violation of the immunities and privileges of United Nations organizations," and stressed that this measure constitutes a "serious breach of all rules of international law and norms, and a clear violation of Israel's obligations as the occupying power."
The Jerusalem Governorate indicated that a seizure order in favor of the Israel Land Authority was suspended following the demolition, even though the complex belongs to the United Nations and enjoys legal immunity that prevents it from being subjected to any executive, administrative, judicial or legislative procedures. It considered this a “step that reflects an escalating
