‘Anata-Shu’afat, A-Tur
In the wake of recent attacks, a new style of checking at the Shuafat checkpoint constitutes, in effect, a form of collective punishment of a large number of residents who cross daily to work. Such punishment, as is well known, does not reduce the tensions but only aggravates them. Is this the intention? The matter should be checked, under fair and proper conditions.
7:15 Shuafat refugee camp
Hordes of children board the buses in the outer square. The thick melée of children and buses endangers their security, but this is a temporary situation. Until the enlargement of the inner parking lot for buses is completed, the children leave the camp not through the checkpoint but through a gate invigilated by persons from the neighbourhood committee. The arrangement works well. Latecomers cross through the regular checkpoint.
In conversation with one of the members of the committee we learn that after the last two attacks (on French Hill and A-Tur) by persons from the Shuafat camp, holding blue ID's, the pedestrian crossing regulations have been aggravated. The magnometers have been unsheathed , all are checked one by one, and this takes a great deal of time. As a matter of fact, there are two entries with magnometers, but only one is operative, creating a long line which moves slowly (c. 40 minutes to cross, while we were there). According to a court order, such checks may take place only if sufficient checking points are available in order not to harm the crossing of residents who are mostly holders of blue ID's and work in the western part of the city. Clearly this order is not observed.
In addition, there is no humanitarian crossing passage, and children who are late are pushed to the end of the line. (We asked for a free passage, without checks, for them, and the military policeman complied. The adults let the children cross first.) The situation of an elderly man with a spinal implant was worse. The magnometer beeped, and the dumb female soldier insisted he could cross only after bringing a doctor's certificate confirming that he has such an implant. No one thought of getting out of their position to simply check him.
We summoned the the commander of the checkpoint who first sent us to the security guard, but then arrived; and although he told us there was no pressure or delays at the checkpoint ("No way does it take 30 minutes to cross, we invigilate with cameras all the time"), he did agree, after some argument, to check the man and let him cross. We complained to the commander who said he was only obeying orders, and that a request to open more checking points should be referred to the Envelope commanders. We thought he should be the one to do this, but he did not agree.
We spoke with Hanna Barag who submitted a protest and will try to arouse greater awareness to the new problems at the checkpoint.
8:20 A-Tur
We had been told that classes in the area schools had been suspended. Today the schools are open, and there are fewer soldiers in the street, aside form a van at the junction ascending from Wadi Joz.
Interestingly, the general strike of Israeli Arabs is not evident in the areas we visited.
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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