‘Anata, Qalandiya, Tue 6.12.11, Morning
Translator: Charles K.
6:15 AM
Every morning has its own special hell. A congested, crowded, boiling line, though relatively quiet. The “humanitarian” gate has already opened frequently, and in addition to women and the many pupils, some people on the regular line simply move to that line. People show us, as if it were routine, various medical certificates, hoping to convince the officer to allow them to use that gate, which is less crowded and where they’re less likely to be injured in the press. The other lines are a madhouse, people pushing so hard that bones are literally broken. Most of them are manual laborers who despair at the line, but have no choice.
Today the threatening guard who enjoys teaching people a lesson reprimands those climbing on the fence and also threatens various punishments (one of the men climbing explains to him how desperate the wait has made him, and the guard dismisses him with “Welcome to Qalandiya” (in English).
7:15 – The lines have shortened considerably but the fenced corridors are completely packed. It will take a long time before those waiting will see the other side of the checkpoint. We decided to visit Anata.
Jaba – only two soldiers man the checkpoint, and there are no traffic problems.
It’s the children’s hour at Anata. Children arrive at the buses from every direction, walking between cars, trucks and buses. There’s no end to the dust and rubbish and disorder. When the main sidewalk is bordered on both sides by a high fence and ends at a revolving gate, where will the young mother pushing a baby carriage walk? Right – in the middle of the road, between the cars.
But this reality is only an introduction to the new reality of the big new checkpoint, erected within Jerusalem’s municipal boundary and “kashered” by the High Court of Justice. The checkpoint makes possible continuing to erect a high wall around the Shu’afat refugee camp and create between it and Jerusalem a barrier that is psychological as well as physical.
The residents established a “dialogue tent” in preparation for the opening of the checkpoint. The Border Police demolished it (maybe it lacked a building permit?). A demonstration began that was met with rubber-coated bullets, no less… “Skunk stench” was scattered in the streets, apparently to deter anyone considering demonstrating again.
But the residents of the neighborhoods, the refugee camp and two more neighborhoods that extend to Anata, most of them residents of Jerusalem, are extremely apprehensive and know their lives will change completely when the checkpoint opens.
The “Ir Amim” website has an exact description of the situation of the neighborhoods and the High Court’s response to the petition opposing the checkpoint. I’ll paraphrase it only slightly:
“…The fence will affect free access to clinics, schools, hospitals, offices…and will make it harder to carry out ordinary daily tasks…we don’t take these impacts lightly…”
And then – “…the impact on the petitioners is proportional to the security needs that determined the route of the fence…”
And you won’t believe this – there’s a commitment that people will be able to cross through the checkpoint “after a short wait, of reasonable duration” – about 5000 people an hour between 6 AM and 8 AM.
We’re glad to hear it.
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 TuegJan-25-2026Anata: A new outpost has been built south of the 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-26-2026Qalandiya. Things you see on the way
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