‘Atara, Qalandiya, Sun 31.3.13, Afternoon
Translating: Ruth Fleishman
Qalandiya:
After an hour's drive and half an hour of waiting at the entrance to the checkpoint, a baby of two months with heart disease was transferred from a Palestinian emergency kit to a Jerusalem one. Exposer to the dust, the heavy heat and the air that was polluted by gas fumes from the skunk, couldn't have been good for the baby, but it was all preformed according to regulations and in the name of security.
The ambulance that arrived from Jerusalem transferred the baby and his father, who was standing the whole time with his jaw clenched and only his shaking chine giving evidence to the stifled cry, to Mokased hospital, where (the medical crew explained) they would examine and asses the baby's condition and decide whether or not to perform the operation necessary to fix the child's heart at there or send him off to the experts at Shiva hospital.
Friends from the checkpoint's surroundings told me about the demonstration that was held on the anniversary of the Land Day on the previous day. They said that even though it was a quiet demonstration the army responded with violence, by shooting and spraying skunk water.
And although it had been over a day since the events, most of the skunk's fluids had remained at the vicinity of the wall so that approaching it in order to photograph the new inscription that said: "Stop Cementing Misery" could turn your insides out.
There are no strangers to the name of the hunger striker, Samer Issawi. Upon hearing his name mentioned people nodded their heads with sadness and empathy to his fate, they heard with sparkling eyes and a smile about the Israeli women who were attempting to visit the starving prisoner.
When I told a friend from the refugee camp that I would attempt to visit Samer Issawi, he said: "Even if they release him, his body is probably not alive anymore".
-"Perhaps the body isn't, but what about the soul?" I asked.
-"You are right", he agreed.
Atara/ Bir Zeit checkpoint:
The soldiers remained hidden at the top of the tower, only the face of a curious soldier peeked and disappeared into the darkness of the post, and kept peeking each time the camera was raised.
The Palestinians that passed by waved from behind the window shields. Stopping the car would be a bad idea so they didn't dare do that. Only one driver slowed down little, opened the window and shouted: "Come back on another day, not today!"- "When?", we asked, "On Thursday!" he replied and drove off without explaining.
'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)
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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 FleishmanMay-13-2025Qalandiya: Back-to-back procedure for transferring patients
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