Qalandiya
We arrived at the CP shortly before 4 PM and found three passageways in operation. Today there were more people than usual at the CP – there were about 10 people in line in each of the passageways. There was also a long line in the bus passenger passageway at the western end of the CP. At least 30 people were waiting in line there. No one was waiting to enter the DCO offices.
In order to observe the passageway for bus passengers, Natanya and I stood close to the fence surrounding the northern parking lot. Our presence disturbed the civilian security guard and he started shouting at us to move away from the fence. When we asked him why, his answer was “because…”. We could see lots of people actually walking around among the cars in the vehicle CP. No one was asking them to move away. We couldn’t understand why we were perceived as endangering security.
Meanwhile, back in the CP, Passageway 2 had closed down leaving only 2 active passageways. And just then an old, disturbed beggar woman entered Passageway 1 and stood crying in front of the soldiers in the aquarium, refusing to leave. She effectively shut down the passageway as the soldiers hadn’t a clue how to deal with her. We tried to alleviate the problem by calling Headquarters and describing the situation. But then Nasser appeared, hurrying to the evening shift at his place of work in Atarot Industrial Park. He saw what was happening and called the woman by name (Miriam). Miriam immediately came out of the passageway, which resumed operations.
We left Qalandiya at about 5 PM.
Qalandiya Checkpoint / Atarot Pass (Jerusalem)
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Click here to watch a video from Qalandiya checkpoint up to mid 2019 Three kilometers south of Ramallah, in the heart of Palestinian population. Integrates into "Jerusalem Envelope" as part of Wall that separates between northern suburbs that were annexed to Jerusalem in 1967: Kafr Aqab, Semiramis and Qalandiya, and the villages of Ar-Ram and Bir Nabala, also north of Jerusalem, and the city itself. Some residents of Kafr Aqab, Semiramis and Qalandiya have Jerusalem ID cards. A terminal operated by Israel Police has functioned since early 2006. As of August 2006, northbound pedestrians are not checked. Southbound Palestinians must carry Jerusalem IDs; holders of Palestinian Authority IDs cannot pass without special permits. Vehicular traffic from Ramallah to other West Bank areas runs to the north of Qalandiya. In February 2019, the new facility of the checkpoint was inaugurated aiming to make it like a "border crossing". The bars and barbed wire fences were replaced with walls of perforated metal panels. The check is now performed at multiple stations for face recognition and the transfer of an e-card. The rate of passage has improved and its density has generally decreased, but lack of manpower and malfunctions cause periods of stress. The development and paving of the roads has not yet been completed, the traffic of cars and pedestrians is dangerous, and t the entire vicinity of the checkpoint is filthy. In 2020 a huge pedestrian bridge was built over the vehicle crossing with severe mobility restrictions (steep stairs, long and winding route). The pedestrian access from public transport to the checkpoint from the north (Ramallah direction) is unclear, and there have been cases of people, especially people with disabilities, who accidentally reached the vehicle crossing and were shot by the soldiers at the checkpoint. In the summer of 2021, work began on a new, sunken entrance road from Qalandiya that will lead directly to Road 443 towards Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. At the same time, the runways of the old Atarot airport were demolished and infrastructure was prepared for a large bus terminal. (updated October 2021)
Tamar FleishmanJul-21-2026Qalandiya. Conversation in the shadow of the wall
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