‘Anata, Thu 28.5.09, Morning
ANATA 7:10
We saw many children going through the turnstyle, then crossing the road. It is a very dangerous situation as the cars were driven by drivers anxious to hurry to work. There is a passageway across the road which, according to a border policeman, is used for pedestrians entering Anata and not requiring a security check. While we were there, we did not see anyone using this pedestrian crosswalk. When we asked why there was no safe passage for the children closer to the buses, he responded that it was an issue for the city authorities, not the military.
Cars were randomly checked and drivers as well as passengers identity papers were checked.
We tried driving to Qalandiya through Lill but were politely turned back, even after the soldier made a phone call to ask for permission.
We then drove via Atarot but found ourselves in a long traffic jam on the way to the checkpoint. We reluctantly turned around as it would have taken us more time to reach the checkpoint than we had available. The experience, however, did remind us about how very frustrating it must be to the villagers in the area who must go through Atarot to get to Qalandiya, a short distance away.
There must be a more efficient way to get the traffic through this checkpoint.
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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