Qalandiya
A short watch, on Eid al-Adha eve
05.15 When we arrived on the Israeli side, it was still dark. But there were already a number of men trying to catch a bit of sleep before travelling to work.
Today is the eve of Eid al-Adha, which for many is a fast day. Thus the beigel seller was absent and the kiosk closed. The cake stall was open, but with few customers. Very few people were arriving and they could pass quickly through the open turnstiles and through the checking stations.
We met two Ecumenical observers – two mature German men. They are living in East Jerusalem and visit also Bethlehem checkpoint. They came here today because they were expecting a group of Norwegians (to photograph) whom they would guide. They showed us a page they use to question people who are not allowed to cross the checkpoint. Written in Arabic is the question “Why did they send you back?”, with a set of alternative answers. In parallel they have page with the English translations of each of the answers. We gave them some of the slips with Sylvia’s details to use for people who are refused permits.
The volunteers told us that they had been invited for a Shabbat by a Conservative Rabbi. They accepted and enjoyed this very much. They told us that there were people in their group who could not understand why they did this – that it’s not part of their mandate to visit Israel. These two men thought that it was. In addition, as Germans, they felt a special debt to Jews.
At 6 o’clock there was no sign of a D.C.O. officer, or policeman or guard. The humanitarian gate did not open, but indeed there was no need for it. At about 6.10 the soldier in the aquarium was relieved by a colleague. As we saw that the day was so quiet, at 6.20 we entered a sleeve and were quickly out on the Israel side.
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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