Qalandiya
Extremely cold morning at Qalandiya; the queues ‘reasonable’
05.15 The temperature was 4 degrees, with a wind. The ground was wet with the night’s rain. The muezzin could be heard in the background and on the pavement a group of Palestinians were getting organized for prayer. We passed a group praying at the Israeli entrance to the checkpoint, and found a relatively small crowd in the shed. All the checking stations were open. Apparently fewer people came today because of the weather. Queues formed, but hardly extended beyond the shed.
An elderly man who often complains that older people who are allowed in without permits are not admitted before 8 o’clock, tried today again to pass, but was sent back. He collected papers and cardboard and made a little fire for himself inside the shed, surrounded by large wooden boards as protection against the wind.
We went outside to buy tea to warm ourselves and photograph the sunrise.
Shortly after 6, the D.C.O. soldier arrived to open the humanitarian gate. He would open it even for people arriving singly. But once again, he left early – at 6.45. This seems to have become the norm! Fortunately today the lines were short and anyone arriving after the soldier left, could join the regular queue.
We left shortly after 7.
Qalandiya Checkpoint / Atarot Pass (Jerusalem)
See all reports for this place-
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 FleishmanOct-11-2026Qalandiya. Female Beggar
-
