Hizma, Qalandiya
Tony (center of photo) was in Nablus with his ambulance, in the morning already, to transport the patient to Qalandiya Checkpoint, hoping to manage to get to East Jerusalem’s Maqassed Hospital in time for the back surgery planned that day.
But then it turned out that the patient is blacklisted by the Israeli Shabak (Security Services), or as the military system calls it – prevented entry.
‘Prevented entry’ is not his given name, it’s a kind of generic appellation of many thousands of Palestinians from the moment the Israeli Security Services declare them as ‘prevented’ and halt their lives.
“Nothing to be done about it, that’s how our life is” say the Palestinians.
But a man like Tony does not give in easily, or at all.
Tony is obstinate and determined. For years I have seen him place himself and his security in harm’s way in order to save lives, and sometimes as a result he sustains insults and injuries, and does not give in.
All day he was making rounds of telephone calls and asking and begging and promising and insisting that this man poses no danger or threat to anyone’s security.
After hours, the incredible happened, a miracle worked by Tony. At 15:50 all obstacles were lifted, confirmations were received and the patient crossed Qalandiya Checkpoint.
Hizma
“Wait an hour, or an hour and a half, and you’ll see them. They come every day, sometimes they close only the main entrance in front, sometimes all entrances and exits, at times they don’t let anyone in who doesn’t live in the village, and at others they stop every car and check whoever’s inside. Yesterday they arrested someone, and even though it was raining and cold, they got him out of the car and held him outside like that for two hours, and then let him go” – said an acquaintance from the village.
I didn’t wait for them but continued to listen to the stories that the villagers tell about what the soldiers do in their frequent incursions, about the nightly raids on the village by military vehicles, invasions of homes after midnight, and the worst of all – arresting children.
Hizma
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Hizma
A checkpoint at the north-eastern entrance to the Jerusalem area which was annexed in 1967, at Pisgat Zeev. The passage is allowed to bearers of blue IDs only. Open 24 hours a day.
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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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