Perfectly serene morning in Qalandiya
Perfectly serene morning
We arrived at 6:00 a.m. and after a short visit with Abu Ramzi, the bagel seller monitored the smooth and continuous flow of people into the checkpoint building until 7:20.
During the shift, a man approached us asking for our help. He told us that he had had an accident at work. He received compensation from Bituach Leumi and from the factory’s insurance policy but, as we understood him, the factory’s lawyer took a cut of that sum and his personal lawyer was demanding 20% of what remained. We explained that despite our desire to help, he had essentially come to the wrong address for his particular problem. However, we looked up and gave him phone numbers for Kav LaOved, as well as one of the cards distributed by HaMoked; recommended that he seek counsel with them; and wished him success in his venture.
Our passage through the security check was swift and smooth. On our way out, a policewoman from the Border Police standing in the hall wished us a good morning with a broad smile, which we returned, and continued on our way.
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 FleishmanApr-12-2026Qalandiya. Abdallah at his fruit stand
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