Qalandiya - Meeting old friends
06.00 a.m. Nowadays we come to Qalandiya less regularly and also later than before the improved conditions at the checkpoint, as the Palestinians themselves come later, too. In the area approaching the checkpoint on the Israel side, work continues on building sidewalks and roundabouts. Also, there seem to be works in progress to improve the roads on the way to the checkpoint. Maybe soon there will be a decent road, at last, with lighting and 4 lanes.
On the Palestinian side we were happy to meet our friend Abu Ramzi, the beigel seller at his usual in front of the shed and next to him a small kiosk. It appears that the kiosks are now a “chain”. In addition to the big kiosk next to the parking lot, there is also a smaller one at the entrance to the whole checkpoint area coming from Qalandiya, where there is also a covered stall where they sell fruit later in the day.
The toilets –men’s and women’s – were open and lit. the front sections were relatively clean, but inside they were filthy.
We stayed about 45 minutes. Thought there were occasional problems with the lights above the entrances, people entered quickly all the time except for one short delay at one entrance. Because passage is now so quick we normally don’t now meet our ‘regulars’ at the humanitarian gate. But today we did meet the teacher who always likes to practice his German with Chana (her Yiddish, really). He was on his way to supervise pupils doing their Jordanian matriculation exams (Tawjjiyah). We met also S., who told us that at night she often hears explosions when the army enters nearby neighbourhoods.
After we passed without delay, we met also the D.C.O. officer whom we hadn’t seen for a long time. We thought he had left the army by now. Meanwhile he has grown a beard, like all the young folk.
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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