Qalandiya
One more unbearable morning in Qalandiya.
5:20: The lines extended far into the parking area and progress was painfully slow. Only four checking booths were operating and a fifth opened up at 5:40, after we had phoned Operations (HAMAL) and described the serious situation. At 5:30 an officer in charge of staff-placement, along with two trainees, had approached us and the EAPPI volunteer, who was there since 4:30. We complained about the harsh conditions at the CP on mornings, which have been going on for some weeks. The officer (polite and courteous, even mentioned Hanna Barag – meaning that he had read her complaints) responded patiently and in a serious intent, that the Palestinians themselves created the crowding problem by reaching the CP too early in the morning (!!!). Had they arrived more towards 6:00 AM – when all five checking booths were already operating – passage would have been faster. We responded that all five booths should have been operating at 5am and this was the direct cause of the lines reaching the parking area, the tension and the difficult scenes at the CP. Furthermore, they were compelled to reach the CP at early hours, knowing that crowded lines lay in store for them with the slow progress there. Our officer reassured us that all would be well by 6:30! We suggested that he return to our stand but he declined our offer… Not merely at 6:30 were there extensive lines – but even at 7:00 (when most workmen are long overdue at work) these extended into the parking lot and were supplemented by the long line at the Humanitarian lane.
A DCO soldier opened the Humanitarian gate at 6:10 and then at intervals of ten minutes, but the people were also delayed for some five-ten minutes in the inner yard, and then at the humanitarian Gate 5. At 7:40 the soldier closed Gate 5 and sent those waiting there – mainly women and school kids – to the three narrow pens, which were still full. In short, it is evident that the Matak soldiers lack any understanding of the situation and of the policy of their job.
At 5:40, there was a total collapse of the line system and people were pushing and skirmishing their way through into the pens. The scene was appalling. Adult men hesitate to approach the pens because of the apparent violence (we were told of a man who broke his leg, another whose glasses were shattered). The resentment only intensifies. At 7:00, while photographing the mess, a man approached us coaxing us to photograph and suggested that we compare the photos to photos of Jews in the forties. Another man mentioned that in the past, when he lacked a permit and sneaked into Jrslm, he always reached his work on time – now he is being punished for crossing through with a decent permit. All this is intentional – they treat us as a herd.
Our friend from the EAPPI crossed through on one of the lines at 7:05 and reported that it took him 40 minutes. They also took notes from the Palestinians crossing through: an average of 40 minutes, and 45 minutes at 6:15-7:00.
We left at 7:45 and people were still waiting in the three pens. Despair.
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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