Jaba (Lil), Qalandiya, Sun 17.6.12, Afternoon
Translation: Ruth Fleishman
Qalandiya Checkpoint: 
"These are special sweets for the holiday, because tonight", I was told at Jaffar's in Beit Hanina "is the night on which the profit came from Makah to El-Quds and from there, on that very night, he rose to the heavens".
At the checkpoint I was told by people who I am familiar with that there weren't many people "because of the holiday and because it's hot" (37 degrees Celsius). In spite of the fact that there weren't many people and that four lanes were open, it was only after over 20 minutes that I managed to reach the other side of the checkpoint and find out that the ambulance on behalf of which I was in a rush had beat me to it.
Employing Contractor's Workers is Taking Part in Organized Crime:
Because of the trust that had formed after years of acquaintance with the Palestinian cleaners at the checkpoint, and after tens if not hundreds of small talk, I found out from one worker and then others who started off talking with hesitations, that the contractor that employs them exploits them, threatens them and also steals from the paychecks. I gave one of them the telephone number of an activist in Maan- an organization for workers, hopping yet doubting that at least some justice could be done for these people, and the ones among them that work double shifts in order to provide for their families.
Would it be possible to do so without exposing the identities of the complainers? – the fear is that a complaint might cause them to lose the little they already have.
Moments filled with Satisfaction:
"One Buza for one Shekel". So I bought one for each one of us. For the children, for myself and for Ibrahim. Ibrahim sells the popsicles, he is 11 years old, a new face among the children who peddle, and he is not allowed to eat the merchandise in the icebox he carries over his shoulder. He must return with the exact amount of Shekels as the popsicles he sold.
We all stood one next to the other on the exposed and blazing square, we licked the red or lemon popsicles and felt good, it tasted good, it sweetened our day and we were happy.
Jaba Checkpoint:
"The dog trainers won't be in today because it's hot as hell. You will have to do with us" said the checkpoint commanders who I am familiar with. We had a long conversation as to the freedom of choice according to Judaism and about other subjects.
While writing the report this news flash came in:
http://news.walla.co.il/?w=/9/2542703
And just after it came in the prime minister's responded: "I condemn the attack on the mosque near Ramallah. This is the work of intolerant and irresponsible lawbreakers. We will work towards bringing them to justice quickly.
As some of us know that the soldiers post at the checkpoint is located only several meters away from the village and the wall the surrounds is near the houses.
They man the post at all hours, zealously and without questions or doubts filling in the orders, they protect (so they say and believe) the safety of the country when actually they work only for the to protect the safety of the settlers, did they not see or hear or smell the fire and those who started it?
On the square before Hizme checkpoint which is intended for settlers alone, two Palestinians were making an effort to sell a huge beach ball- they had probably never seen the see and probably will never see it.
Jaba' (Lil)
See all reports for this place-
Jaba' (Lil) In fact, the Jaba checkpoint is east of the Qalandiya checkpoint. Its declared purpose is the prevention of Israeli citizens from entering Area A. A road checkpoint for vehicles, located on Road 65, borders the southern fence of Kfar Jaba, about three kilometers east of the Qalandiya checkpoint, on the road leading to the settlement of Adam on Road 60. Archaeological excavations within the village found the remains of a cloth house from the First Temple period. The events that led to the construction of the checkpoint are precisely here: on the day of the abduction of Gilad Shalit and before the outbreak of the Second Lebanon War, a 17-year-old man from one of the settlements was abducted by a Palestinian cell. His body was found several days later at the entrances to Ramallah. A military investigation revealed that his abductors had taken him along this route. The checkpoint was set up to prevent future kidnappings and to warn settlers from traveling to Ramallah and entering Area A (which is forbidden for Israelis). The checkpoint that operates around the clock. Usually only vehicles traveling in the direction of Ramallah are inspected. (November 2016): Every morning, when the settlers en masse travel to Jerusalem on Route 60 and every afternoon they return from Jerusalem on Route 60, the army initiates a traffic jam at the entrance to the Jaba checkpoint and stops the movement of Palestinians traveling toward Route 60. (February 2020): In the last two years the checkpoint has not always been manned. Sometimes the soldiers come and just stand, sometimes they come and stop and check those who enter the village, sometimes they patrol the alleys of the village, sometimes they fire stun grenades and gas and sometimes they invade houses and stop young people, say those passing through the Hazma checkpoint. (Updated February 2020)
-
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 FleishmanFeb-16-2026Qalandiya CP: shortcut
-