Qalandiya - 3rd Friday of Ramadan
Thousands swarmed at the entrances.
A field of vision entirely filled with women, men and children.
Some said there were tens of thousands, others- hundreds of thousands.
But I am not writing statistics. I write about those who walk this earth on their way to worship.
Facing those armed with faith and prayer rugs stood soldiers and policemen, armed with weapons and orders, and blocked their way.
On posts raised above the access tracks stood soldiers, their rifle barrels pointed at the heads or body-center of Palestinians.
I stood with the Palestinians, among them, and rifle barrels were appointed at me too.
I can verify that this is scary. Very scary.
Quite a few of the crowd knew they do not meet the criteria for crossing, and still came from afar, hoping – but their hope was dashed.
The computer showed that the man or woman or child do not stand the precise standard, and were shamefully sent back.
Again, gender separation tightened, and as a woman I was prevented from reaching the men’s inspection posts. But I did see the crowds on their way. When crowding increased prior to selection, I heard the commander ordering his subordinates: Profile them by face!
I couldn’t understand at the time, and cannot understand now what and how.
Does one’s face replace one’s age and family status, or added to them? Does danger have a face before it materializes? Does it wear a beard or carry a baby on its shoulder?
Having no other choice, I focused on the other side meant for women, faced with a well-oiled apparatus functioning at a regular rhythm.
The women advanced towards the inspection posts in body groups directed by uniformed, armed soldiers, and prayed to cross the first bottle neck on their way to Al Aqsa.
Once every few minutes, upon a signal originating somewhere unknown, the inspections at the head of the line ceased. The first women had to stop and those standing behind them, not knowing what was going on, continued to advance. Hundreds of women were crushed one to the other’s back and created a breathless, impassable mass.
A kind of paralysis took hold of the crowd that had become a single seething body.
Because of the crowding and thirst and lack of air, several women collapsed, fainting.
Those there at the ready to rush to these women’s aid were the young people in fluorescent vests. And they are to praised. Those first-aid volunteers lifted – and, with their grace and gentleness – helped the fainting women onto stretchers and wheelchairs prepared in advance.
מי שהיו שם מוכנים ומיומנים לחוש אל הנופלות לעזור ולתמוך אלו הצעירות והצעירים במדים זוהרים שאותם יש להלל ולשבח. אותם מתנדבי העזרה הראשונה בחסד ורכות הרימו וסעדו ופינו את המתמוטטות באלונקות וכסאות גלגלים שהובאו מבעוד מועד.
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 FleishmanJun-25-2025Qalandia: West Bank man injured in both legs
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