Qalandiya
Qalandiya
Guests: author Mario Vargas Llosa (Nobel Prize Laureate for literature 2010; in 1990 he contended for presidency of his country but lost; known for his liberal views; in his books he criticizes the hierarchy of social and racial classes in Peru and in Latin America in general), Nadav Bigelman of Breaking the Silence, and a film crew.
Another tough day at Qalandiya – it is 16 years since we began our monitoring shifts there, and there is nothing new – the (Israeli military) Occupation is “celebrating” nearly fifty years now, the suffering of those having to cross checkpoints has not become any lighter, and we stand there, reporting and hurting.
04:00 Much pedestrian traffic on the way to Atarot industrial zone. At the checkpoint – mayhem. All the “sleeves” are open but only two turnstiles are in operation. People rushing to work are crowded, practically crushed together. Have we become accustomed to these awful sights? Do they seem obvious to us today? Troubling thoughts come up as we watch this horror year in year out.
We were set to meet the author and his entourage at 5:30 a.m. but they were very late and we had little time left for explanations and conversation.
Ina and Virginia came towards 5 a.m. It is easier to share such a shift with friends, sense the joint sorrow and pain. And what, after all, is our pain compared to what the Palestinians have to go through on a daily basis?!
Just before 6 a.m. our guests arrived. Mario Vargas Llosa, his face alight, asked questions typical of one who has already seen the occupation and understands what it entails. With Ina’s help we found an acquaintance (Palestinian) who spoke with the author and very briefly told his own story. We explained the bureaucracy of the Occupation, the meaning of revoking tens of thousands of entry permits (as was done in the past week), and the political and economic background. We also told stories of people we have met over the years, and learned that a “personal” story (not our own, of course) has significant weight.
After about half an hour, the guests left. The “humanitarian” gate was opened at 6:30 a.m., because someone “didn’t wake up”. Policeman Menashe was verbally abusive as usual (we complained for the nth time – again in vain). We have also complained about the callousness of the civilian security guards at the checkpoint, and that too apparently has no chance of changing. At 6:30 a.m. about 30-45 minutes were needed for crossing. We left shortly before 8 a.m., when pressure lifted.
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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