Qalandiya
Have they changed the system again?
The lines already extended beyond the covered area of the Qalandiya checkpoint when we arrived at 05:00. The reason was that only three of the five lanes were open – with no explanation. The signs above the fenced corridors showed that one was open and the second closed, when in fact both were closed, and that only increased the confusion of those waiting and made them waste more time. The two remaining lanes opened at 05:25, but by then the damage had already been done. During almost all the peak hours the lines reached the parking area and continued to stretch beyond the cages even when we left at 07:10.
At 06:00 the DCL soldier arrived to operate the humanitarian gate, opened it, and reopened it whenever a handful of people had gathered there. We wish he’d be there every morning.
A teacher asked for our help. He was turned back at two inspection booths even though his permit is valid and his ID indicated he’s older than 55 and therefore doesn’t even need a permit (he knew that and told the MPs in the booths, to no avail). For some reason the MPs decided he’s not allowed to enter before 08:00 even though he’s come through earlier for years in order to reach school on time. We asked the DCL soldier to help, he called someone to find out why the man had been refused entry and told him he can now go through without any problem. We hope he really was able to cross successfully.
We warmly recommend to the military police to provide its personnel with the same information given to the people who must go through the checkpoints. For example, the MPs should know that a 55-year old man no longer needs a permit to come from the West Bank to Israel. This is the second time this past week I’ve run into a man older than 55 who has been turned back at the checkpoint – and both of them did, in fact, have permits, but neither their age nor their permit did any good until they spoke to the DCL representative on site.
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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