Qalandiya
How difficult it is to look at the empty (and filthy) checkpoint.
9:00: The CP was nearly deserted. Occasionally two or three persons crossed through the gate. We noticed a wheel-chaired man who told us he was waiting at the humanitarian gate for about half an hour. We phoned the Matak and in some 10 minutes a soldier arrived and opened the gate.
A man, speaking fluent Hebrew, told us that he and his wife were on their way to visit their daughter who lives in Jerusalem. He says that people are wary of passing through the CP, in fear of the "easy gun" policy. He's a Math teacher, a university graduate, now retired and owner of a taxi. Recently, while driving his taxi, he was detained by soldiers who checked his vehicle. He took this opportunity to inquire of the soldiers if they thought there would be peace someday. They were embarrassed but admitted that they doubted there would be peace. His wife wouldn't approach us as we were Jewish.
9:20: We noticed that three inner checkbooths were closed off. The tide grew a bit and a line began forming near the inner (January 2016) booths and at the entrance to the CP. We phoned the Matak again and were told that the situation would be checked. A security person who passed by remarked that the staff was off to eat etc. and "what do you expect? How should we treat them? People shouldn't expect too much. Only three days ago he had been shot at by the Palestinians."
At 9:32 Booth 5 opened up and then Booths 4 and 3 as well.
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 FleishmanFeb-27-2026Qalandiya: On the way to prayer
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