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Qalandiya Checkpoint
15:20- At the waiting hall out side of the checkpoint there was much filth. Those who are in a hurry and don't know how to enter the caged lanes, waist their time entering and exiting until they reach an open cage (bingo).
Even
though there were three open inspection posts the inspections were
performed very sluggishly and it took forever until people were
permitted to enter the inspection area. A
person returning from a days work at Jerusalem looked through the
window from which one can see the soldier's post at the first lane, and
said to us: "The girl soldier inside is sleeping and the guy is
stroking her…"
Half
an hour later, when we passed through that lane, instead of the
sleeping soldier was a male soldier lying on his chair; it looked as
though any moment he would fall into deep slumber.
Six
people, who had finished all their business at the DCO and wanted to go
to the checkpoint yard, couldn't get out because the turnstiles were
locked. We saw them from the other side of the lane. They pressed over
and over again on the intercom button and got no response. We called
the DCO operation room and after a couple of minutes the turnstiles
opened, they were caged there against their will for half an hour.
At the waiting shed on the out side an 18 year old from Ramallah
called R' showed us he had a summoning from Mokased hospital, he was to
be hospitalized that day for a series of cosmetic surgeries. He didn't
have a permit to pass. He said that he had handed in his request to the
health center a month ago but got no replay. We called them and were
told that R' was refused passage (he said it was the first time he ever
heard of it), and that he was told a while ago that he had to bring
various different permits on top of the ones he had.
We
could do nothing for R' who is an art student at Bir Zeit university.
Some of fingers on his right hand are missing, his handsome face is
baldy scarred by his chin and his chest is also deformed, as a result
of a fire he got trapped in when he was a child. He now wanted to
improve his looks and life with the help of surgery.
To
us this story isn't new. But Dina, who for the first time came face to
face with the reality of the occupation and permits, got her heart
broken because of the all the circles of bureaucratic hell he had to go
through to get medical help.
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Atara, Qalandiya, יום א’ 14.9.08, אחה”צ
Observers: Observing: Mika Ginzburg, Tamar Fleishman (reporting)
Guest: Dina B (considering joining our group)
Qalandiya Checkpoint
15:20- At the waiting hall out side of the checkpoint there was much filth. Those who are in a hurry and don't know how to enter the caged lanes, waist their time entering and exiting until they reach an open cage (bingo).
Even
though there were three open inspection posts the inspections were
performed very sluggishly and it took forever until people were
permitted to enter the inspection area. A
person returning from a days work at Jerusalem looked through the
window from which one can see the soldier's post at the first lane, and
said to us: "The girl soldier inside is sleeping and the guy is
stroking her…"
Half
an hour later, when we passed through that lane, instead of the
sleeping soldier was a male soldier lying on his chair; it looked as
though any moment he would fall into deep slumber.
Six
people, who had finished all their business at the DCO and wanted to go
to the checkpoint yard, couldn't get out because the turnstiles were
locked. We saw them from the other side of the lane. They pressed over
and over again on the intercom button and got no response. We called
the DCO operation room and after a couple of minutes the turnstiles
opened, they were caged there against their will for half an hour.
At the waiting shed on the out side an 18 year old from Ramallah
called R' showed us he had a summoning from Mokased hospital, he was to
be hospitalized that day for a series of cosmetic surgeries. He didn't
have a permit to pass. He said that he had handed in his request to the
health center a month ago but got no replay. We called them and were
told that R' was refused passage (he said it was the first time he ever
heard of it), and that he was told a while ago that he had to bring
various different permits on top of the ones he had.
We
could do nothing for R' who is an art student at Bir Zeit university.
Some of fingers on his right hand are missing, his handsome face is
baldy scarred by his chin and his chest is also deformed, as a result
of a fire he got trapped in when he was a child. He now wanted to
improve his looks and life with the help of surgery.
To
us this story isn't new. But Dina, who for the first time came face to
face with the reality of the occupation and permits, got her heart
broken because of the all the circles of bureaucratic hell he had to go
through to get medical help.
Atara/Bir Zit checkpoint
17:45 After a long drive we came across a strange place: An active checkpoint with no soldiers!
At the pillbox were some soldiers. We managed to see at least four, but the checkpoint itself was empty.
There were no inspection or delays and the Palestinians headed on without anyone in their way.
.
'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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Qalandiya Checkpoint / Atarot Pass (Jerusalem)
See all reports for this place-
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 FleishmanJun-8-2025Qalandiya: Emptiness in public space
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