Qalandiya
I arrived at the Checkpoint at 04.45. Five posts were open. The queue ran until behind the shed, but only five minutes were required for the crossing. Apparently there are fewer Palestinians in a hurry to get to work. No calls were heard in the loudspeaker – a change for the better from the past.
Women who came early had to be pushed into the cages, but as far as I could see, I got the impression that the men enabled them to form a certain space.
At 05.40 our familiar policeman appeared. His shift began by rolling up a cigarette, drinking coffee – the warrior`s rest! At 06.10 the officer from the DCO appeared. He entered the aquarium for a morning conversation with the girl soldier. Today he opened the gate twice. The second time he opened, a woman came running and wanted to cross in time. The officer closed the gate just in front of her. I immediately complained to those in charge hoping that the officer would at least get a remark.
What cheek! But why should we wonder – "they" are not human beings – that`s how it is!!!
The cages: I have seen them for years and can`t get used to these terrible scenes. Like cows to be milked. What a terrible humiliation. Behind the turnstile, on the Israeli side, a man walked around, dressed in conspicuous orange clothing,
moving from one place to another. He seemed to be a friend of all the "forces". I couldn`t find out who he was and what was his function, but his dominant walk and the color of his clothing made an impression.
I left at 07.00
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 FleishmanJul-21-2026Qalandiya. Conversation in the shadow of the wall
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