‘Atara, Qalandiya, Sun 9.11.08, Afternoon
Silwad 3:15 Silwad 3:15 From the right hand side of route 60 on the way that leads north, a
bit after the turn to Ofrah, we noted a line of vehicles that was slowly curling
around like a serpent until it disappeared from sight. We left our car and went
by foot in the direction of the fence which blocks the village of Silwad and
prevents its residents from reaching the fast road. A transit driver noticed us
and directed us to a hole in the fence and told us that at the entrance to
Silwad, at the end of the line of cars, we would be able to find the
checkpoint. We wove between the fences, climbed on some rocks and felt like
original pioneers who called out "We've found water". We announced "We found
the checkpoint". However, this checkpoint was blocked to Palestinians alone.
The definitiono is not what is important. The daily reality requires that after
returning from a long day's work, one is delayed for a long time and without
justification or reason, must show licences, allow armed strangers to go through
their personal belongings, to answer harrassing questions from soldiers such as
"where are you traveling " or "What is the situation". To destroy their car
engines by forcing them to wait for long times on the inclines of a hill that
leads to a blockade and in addition, to butter up to soldiers so that they will
not think them to be impudent and slap on them "educational" punishments. The
soldiers from the Kfir division who did not exchange many words with us except
to say that from time to time, they set up this blockage. A driver who was on
his way back to Ramallah passed until the rapid road. He told us that on the
same day, he had to wait a full hour to get into Silwad. We counted 30 cars
waiting.
3:35 When we were on our way back, we saw 3 soldiers fold up
the blockade and put it on their backs and disappeared into the pillbox that
stands on the nearby hill and all the cars pass through without interference.
3:50 Atara checkpoint
The commander of the checkpoint hurried
toward us, demanded that we move our car from the place where we always park it
and asked that we not turn it around at the checkpoint. We did as he
asked.
The soldiers at the checkpoint were very efficient and we did
not detect any unusual harrassment but it appeared that there was a total lack
of coordination in their activity. They concentrated on checking vehicles
coming from only one of the four directions and when a long line developed in
the other lanes, they then let through all the cars with no check and then
concentrated on cars coming from another side. In the check of transits, they
required that all the passengers get out and stand nicely in an orderly row on
the side of the checkpoint. From other watches one could deduce that this is
the set procedure here. A photographer did not stop filming us. When we left
the place, one of the soldiers turned to us and said, "As a general rule, when
you are here, it takes the Arabs three times longer to cross". To our
question as how he explains that, he had no reply.
Qalandiya checkpoint 5:00 p.m. Filth and garbage rule the
place. What happened to the "exemplary" terminal and to the cages for people
that have been erected at its entry whose brilliance is dimmed and all
that remains is garbage piled up in every corner.
'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 FleishmanFeb-27-2026Qalandiya: On the way to prayer
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