‘Anata, Qalandiya, Sun 18.5.08, Morning
7.00 Anata – As
usual many children cross the road between the numerous cars. Next to the car
lane about 8 checkers. Soldiers, private guards. The passage is quite
quick and without arguments. Mainly there are children and there is no pressure.
This is the first time that young boys have said a cheerful good morning to us
of their own accord.7.45 Qalandiya – There
is not a long line of people in the waiting area but there is still great
pressure and much pushing. One turnstile is broken and the passage through the
two others work slowly. The 'humanitarian" line …doctors, women, elderly men and
students argue with the captain who eventually lets them pass. Immediately a new
line forms. I. who commands the passage stands
in the inside area and comes up and speaks to us. He says that there will be a
new solution which will bring about a shortening of the period that people will
have to stand in line. It seems that there will be two extra lanes for people
going out in the vans. He says that the length of time of the passage from the
inner turnstile to the checking area is not more than 20 minutes. We checked
when the line was long together with him and he was correct.. He agrees with us
however that the passage is unpleasant even if it only takes 20 minutes. All the
more so because the humanitarian line closes at 8.00 and then the women have to
crowd in with the men which is not acceptable. While we were there he still
allowed women to pass after 8.00 and by 8.45 the line had shortened and then the
women could go through with the men.About 9.00 the DCO
opens and 5 people were let through. For the next 10 minutes no one was allowed
to enter. People were waiting to go both to the post and to the DCO. We phoned
the DCO asking them to open. We were told that people could go through to the
post through all the turnstiles and so we informed them but not long after they
returned saying that they could only go through the turnstile to the DCO. After
another phone call the turnstile at last allows people in while a voice screams
"One at a time." By 9.45 nearly everyone has gone in but in the shed of the DCO
many people are waiting. They have been told that the computer is not working.
What? Again? Every time?One small success we
had today. A man comes to us and says that his mother who has cancer has to have
treatment at Makassad hospital. Each time he is told to go, to bring. to come
back. We speak to Mayer of the medical department of the army and he in all
seriousness says to us that the woman is registered as a security risk…but he
will get her a permit in spite of this. 15 minutes later the man phones and says
that the computer is not working. So what else is new? 30 minutes later he says
he has the permit.
Checkpoint Shu'afat camp / Anata-Shu'afat (Jerusalem)
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The Shu’afat checkpoint is located in the northern part of East Jerusalem at the exit from the village of Anata and the Shu’afat refugee camp, which are located in the area annexed to Jerusalem in 1967. The refugee camp borders the Shu’afat neighborhood to the west, Pisgat Ze’ev to the north, the French Hill neighborhood to the south and the planned expansion of Ma’aleh Adumim to E-1 in the east. It was established in 1966 for 1948 refugees from the West Bank and was populated after the Six Day War by persons who had been expelled from the Jewish Quarter. Today its population comprises some 25,000 people holding blue ID cards and some 15,000 people with Palestinian ID cards. The camp lacks adequate infrastructure and services, and suffers from poverty, neglect and overcrowding. All its buildings are connected to the public electricity and water infrastructure, but not all are connected to the sewer system. The camp’s services are provided by UNRWA, except for those such as health clinics and transportation of pupils to schools in Jerusalem. In 2005, the Israeli High Court of Justice rejected a suit by the residents requesting that the route of the separation fence be drawn such that the camp would remain on the Israeli side, but conditioned its approval of the route on the establishment of a convenient and rapid crossing facility for the inhabitants of the neighborhood, most of whom are residents of Jerusalem.
A temporary checkpoint operated there until December, 2011. It was extremely congested during rush hours, and dangerous for pedestrians (especially children) because of inadequate safety provisions. The new checkpoint was inaugurated south of the old one, for public and private transportation and for pedestrians, intended solely for the residents of the camp – holders of blue ID cards, and those with Palestinian ID cards who possess appropriate permits. There are five vehicle inspection stations at the checkpoint, and two for pedestrians (one of which is currently closed) where scanners have been installed but are not yet operating. According to the army, representatives of government agencies will also be present to provide services to residents of the neighbourhood. The pedestrian lanes are very long, located far from the small parking lots, and accessible through only a single revolving gate.
Anat TuegMay-18-2008Anata: new traffic circle at the exit junction
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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 FleishmanApr-16-2025Qalandiya: summer fruit
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