Israel will set up an IDF museum on the former UNRWA site in Jerusalem
The government approved the project during a special meeting for Jerusalem Day
The Israeli government approved this Sunday the establishment of a new IDF museum on the former UNRWA compound in Jerusalem, during a special meeting held on Jerusalem Day.
The project includes the establishment of a new office for the Minister of Defense and the relocation of the Jerusalem military recruitment office to a modernized complex in the Ma’alot Dafna neighborhood, near Ammunition Hill.
The decision was made by the Ministry of Defense, the Jerusalem municipality, and the Israel Land Authority. An area of about 9 hectares (22 acres) will be allocated to the Ministry of Defense to build this new military and memorial complex.
The museum will tell the story of the creation of the IDF and the State of Israel. It will include exhibition spaces, educational activities, lectures, and programs intended for young people, soldiers, and the general public.
The new recruitment office will replace the current, older building located in the center of Jerusalem. It is intended to offer better reception conditions for recruits from the capital and its surrounding region.
The Defense Minister, Israel Katz, praised the decision of "sovereignty, Zionism, and security." He stated that establishing IDF institutions on the former UNRWA site sent a clear message to Israel's enemies.
The Minister of Housing, Haim Katz, also defended the choice of location, arguing that it was a matter of transforming land previously used by a hostile international organization into a site dedicated to Israeli national memory.
The mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Lion, described the decision as "historic" for the city. According to him, the future complex will strengthen the bond between the IDF and the capital of Israel, while also contributing to the development of Jerusalem.