‘Atara, Qalandiya, Wed 20.7.11, Afternoon
Translation: Bracha B.A.
Qalandiya Checkpoint, 15:20
There is only one sleeve open in the pedestrian crossing and about 20 people are waiting. One person is waiting at the Liaison and Coordination Administration crossing and says he has been waiting for an hour. It's impossible to contact the soldier in the protected position at the inspection point. Meanwhile another two have arrived. After several telephone calls to the command and the Liaison and Coordination Administration, the Humanitarian hotline, and after a 20-minute wait, they were allowed inside. The signs that state that the checkpoint operates in an orderly manner are obviously irrelevant. At 15:45 sleeve Number 1 opens, but it is impossible to understand the loudspeaker announcement.
We left at 16:00. Today, at least, there were few people crossing. The filthy shed serves as a waiting place for people to pass the time. The candy vendor is there with his wagon. He says that even if he earns NIS 50 each day it is barely enough to provide for his family.
There is a fruit and vegetable market operating between the exit from Qalandiya Checkpoint in the direction of A-Ram.
Lil Checkpoint
The checkpoint is open and operating. We didn't see anyone being checked, but the situation could change within a minute.
16:40 – Atara Checkpoint
We parked our car on the lower road and went up to the che3ckpoint. The pillbox is manned and traffic is moving. There is a lot of traffic moving in both directions. The soldier in the pillbox saw us through his binoculars and ten minutes later a jeep arrived carrying three reservists – one of whom was an officer – to question us. For a change, they were pleasant. IT is important for us to demonstrate our presence at this isolated place. |The drivers and pedestrians were pleased to see us.
'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 FleishmanJun-8-2025Qalandiya: Emptiness in public space
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