Qalandiya
All five checking stations were open when we arrived at 5:10 (!!) and new arrivals were entering freely through the cages. When the turnstiles were closed at about 5:20, however, lines began to build up, undoubtedly because the pace in the checking stations seemed particularly slow. From 5:30 to 7:00, therefore, the lines extended out to beyond the covered area of checkpoint. When we left at 7:00, the lines did not extend beyond the cages.
The Civil Administration soldier came out at 6:10, opened the Humanitarian Gate, and opened it again each time a group of people had gathered in front of it.
One man whose permit showed that he was an UNRWA worker but who also had a card showing that he is a mathematics teacher was turned away from the Humanitarian Gate and asked for our help. He said that this was the first time he had been turned away at the gate, and he was rather agitated. But when we intervened on his behalf, the Civil Administration solider and policewoman on duty were adamant that the word “schoolteacher” must to appear on the permit itself in order for him to be eligible to use the gate. The man told us that “UNRWA worker” is the only thing that appears on all permits of UNRWA people; that’s why he carries the schoolteacher’s card with him. Ultimately we suggested that he try to get a new permit as a “schoolteacher,” though we suspect that UNWRA itself will have to work out a problem of this sort with the Civil Administration.
The mood at Qalandiya was oddly upbeat. All kinds of people waved to us (including one of the security guards we had never met), thanked us for being there, and called us over to talk and joke around with us. I am always astonished that people arrive at Qalandiya in the cold and pitch dark armed with a sense of humor. The EAPPI volunteer who stood with us noted that Palestinians come with three kinds of bones: Sadly I’ve forgotten what the first is, but the second is backbone to endure oppression and the third is a funny bone to cope with all the absurdities built into occupation.
AUTHORITIES PLEASE NOTE: The roof covering the waiting area of the checkpoint is leaking badly along the seams(and it wasn’t even raining that morning).
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 FleishmanMay-13-2025Qalandiya: Back-to-back procedure for transferring patients
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