Al Jib (Givat Zeev), Ar-Ram, Qalandiya, Sun 7.4.13, Afternoon
Translating: Ruth Fleishman
Qalandiya:
During the desolate, blazing and dusty afternoon, arrived a group of women and small children after visiting their beloved ones at the military prison. Once again the absence (in the name of security?) of fathers, brothers and older sons was evident.
Peddlers talked about demonstrations that were held during the weekend near the checkpoint, about gas and shock grenades that were shot, traces of which were still scattered near the wall- a ritual that had become routine and would remain so until the flams rise and consume us all.
The person that employs Ahmed – the peddler from Falafel stand that is being held in Ofer prison- updated us that four days earlier Ahmed's arrest had been prolonged by an additional 40 days.
Ahmed has been imprisoned in Ofer jail for over three months, waiting for a trial regarding false accusations that the occupation had placed against him.
El Jib checkpoint:
The sides of the road leading to the checkpoint were fenced, creating a netted pen both narrow and long.
One could deduce about the hardship of the laborers that work in the settlements from something a young man said as he was making his way on the long path between the fences after a day's work: "I should go to the doctor because of the pain in my back from standing hear every day for two hours until passing".
Ar-Ram:
All the exits from Ar-Ram to road 60 had been blocked by BP officers.
The commander on site explained that John Kerry was on his way to Ramallah and that the blockage would be removed only after three and a half hours. The rest of the road leading from Jaba checkpoint in the direction of the VIP lane had been closed to Palestinian vehicles. At the entrance to the settlements policemen stood by the side of their cars waiting for the convoy (but for three and a half hours?).
A-Ram
See all reports for this place-
two kilometers south of Qalandiya and 300 metres north of Neve Yaacov Junction, in Dahiyat el-Barid Quarter. Checkpoint has operated since 1991, in a Palestinian area annexed to Jerusalem in 1967. The checkpoint has been inactive since the middle of 2009.
The wall was built on the road that led to Jerusalem. Since then the situation in the town has deteriorated. Houses are abandoned and half finished, most of the businesses have closed. Severe neglect around the fence and on the streets. Those who could left. Updated January 2024
-
Al-Jib CP Givat Zeev (Jerusalem)
See all reports for this place-
Al-Jib CP GivatZeev (Jerusalem)
It is located on the separation fence, west of the al-Jib enclave. The checkpoint is regularly manned by Border Police and private security companies. Palestinians are not allowed to cross except for residents of the al-Khalaila neighborhood of the village of al-Jib, residents of al-Jib who own land on the western side of the fence, residents of a-Nabi Samuel, which is their only access road to Ramallah and the villages in northwest Jerusalem, as well as Palestinians with work permits in the Givat Zeev settlement and UN workers passing through UN vehicles.
(Updated January 2020)
-
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 FleishmanApr-12-2026Qalandiya. Abdallah at his fruit stand
-