‘Atara, Jaba (Lil), Qalandiya, Sun 21.3.10, Afternoon
Very quietly, like thieves in the night, on Friday morning at the break of dawn a closure on Qalandyia checkpoint was announced, it was to continue during the whole week.
All those under the age of 50 weren't permitted to pass. The implication was that those who had left home at first light, hoping to arrive at work, had lost two working days on top of those they had lost during the Purim closure and ones the Minister of Defense had arbitrarily decided on. They are to remain without work for the whole month as well, since it has an abundance of Israeli holiday and closures.
The announcement regarding the closure was given only on Friday morning- "so that the laborers won't pass on the previous day and spend the night at Jerusalem", said a person we know who is an expert on the reality and conduct under the occupation. He also said that it is common among those who employ laborers from the West Bank, to deduct (steal) 600 Shekels per month for obtaining them a work permit. Some even over-price this outrageous fee and take 1,500 Shekels for themselves out of the employee's paycheck.
After paying all the fines, the closures which make them lose days of work and all the theft that this entails, how are these people supposed to feed the hungry mouths they had left at home?
– Or as the person we were talking to put it: "Why do they do that? -these people are only looking for food".
– On the southern square, by the refugee camp, a military vehicle was parked. Three men in uniforms came out of it: two captains and one soldier. One of the captains was briefing the other, he was pointing towards all the direction while the soldier was securing them.
We told the captain that was being briefed that we too have some insights that we would like to share with him (after all we have seniority at the checkpoint and know it and the complications of the area, as well as the other captain if not better). Unsurprisingly, our offer was declined.
It had been a while since we saw Ibrahim, who sells corn from his worn out cart to the people waiting at the traffic jam. He returned to his usual spot this week and explained his disappearance by saying: "There is no corm now, so I'm selling almonds…"those who know how to improvise survive.
Atara/ Bir Zait checkpoint:
How many soldiers are needed to man a non-existing checkpoint?
This checkpoint had been removed in adherence with Barak's, the Minister of Defense's, orders many months ago.
In reality, ever since the announcement was made, the lights are turned on, the clutter of the generator can be heard afar, the area surrounding the pillbox is locked and the soldiers are hidden in it and in the pillbox above. Indeed, the Palestinians only drive past it with their vehicles, but that is only true most of the time. Sometimes they, the soldiers, descend and inflict their feeling of dissatisfaction on the passersby, telling them to do as they wish with them.
The large amount of empty bullet jackets that were scattered around the checkpoint was evidence of this: bullets that were fired from a rifle and others that were fired from weapons that are called in the military lingo "Alfa"= weapons for riot control. There was also a case filled with Alfa-hand grenades which was place by the empty post.
The Palestinians wouldn't dare to stop at that spot; they keep on driving passed the checkpoint in full speed, hoping not to be the victim of the caprices of those who abuse them.
Jaba checkpoint:
We returned to the checkpoint using road 60 in order to confront those manning it with the decree that forbids Jews from heading in the direction of Qalandiya. Ironically, we arrived there from the opposite side, from Qalandyia, which didn't cause any problem.
"We are heading to Ar-Ram", we told the soldier who asked as to where we were going.
"You know that it's 'A' territory?"
We enlightened him with the geographical facts. The soldier and his commander kept insisting that "there is such a law" which forbids Jews from heading on in that direction. "There is no such law", we said, if anything there might be a decree, which we asked to see and copy. We were asked to park in the checkpoint. The commander looked inside a folder which was full of documents, he also looked through a case on which was written "Alfa" (they too are well equipped with riot control arms). After he failed to find what he was looking for, he said: "Fine, go…"– we went. Was it a precedent? Only the future will tell.
'Atara
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'Atara Checkpoint
Situated at the northern entrance to Ramallah from Route 465, called also Bir Zeit Checkpoint. Nowadays only remains of what used to be a busy checkpoint remain, a pillbox and concrete blocks.
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Jaba' (Lil)
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Jaba' (Lil) In fact, the Jaba checkpoint is east of the Qalandiya checkpoint. Its declared purpose is the prevention of Israeli citizens from entering Area A. A road checkpoint for vehicles, located on Road 65, borders the southern fence of Kfar Jaba, about three kilometers east of the Qalandiya checkpoint, on the road leading to the settlement of Adam on Road 60. Archaeological excavations within the village found the remains of a cloth house from the First Temple period. The events that led to the construction of the checkpoint are precisely here: on the day of the abduction of Gilad Shalit and before the outbreak of the Second Lebanon War, a 17-year-old man from one of the settlements was abducted by a Palestinian cell. His body was found several days later at the entrances to Ramallah. A military investigation revealed that his abductors had taken him along this route. The checkpoint was set up to prevent future kidnappings and to warn settlers from traveling to Ramallah and entering Area A (which is forbidden for Israelis). The checkpoint that operates around the clock. Usually only vehicles traveling in the direction of Ramallah are inspected. (November 2016): Every morning, when the settlers en masse travel to Jerusalem on Route 60 and every afternoon they return from Jerusalem on Route 60, the army initiates a traffic jam at the entrance to the Jaba checkpoint and stops the movement of Palestinians traveling toward Route 60. (February 2020): In the last two years the checkpoint has not always been manned. Sometimes the soldiers come and just stand, sometimes they come and stop and check those who enter the village, sometimes they patrol the alleys of the village, sometimes they fire stun grenades and gas and sometimes they invade houses and stop young people, say those passing through the Hazma checkpoint. (Updated February 2020)
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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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