Qalandiya
A nightmarish morning at Qalandiya checkpoint.
A particularly difficult morning at Qalandiya checkpoint. Shortly after we arrived the lines collapsed and a mass of people formed at the entrance to the cages that reformed as organized lines only after two hours (!!!). When we passed by at 8 AM the congestion hadn’t yet eased.
We arrived at Qalandiya checkpoint at 05:15. We met a volunteer outside from the Ecumenicals, on the Israeli side, and two more within, on the Palestinian side. The five inspection booths were already open and the Ecumenicals told us they were already operating at 04:30 when they’d arrived. Nevertheless, the lines were very long and extended beyond the covered area far into the parking lot. There were few people at the inspection booths, but the revolving gates at the end of the cages opened only very briefly each time. The Ecumenicals said they’d already telephoned the Humanitarian Office to complain about it. We also managed to meet one of our acquaintances and say good morning to the bagel and cake vendor. Very soon the lines collapsed into a huge mass of humanity, shoving and shouting. As usual in such circumstances, elderly people and others who didn’t want to be crushed moved back, the benches filled and from experience we knew it would take a very long time until order was restored. Women and others entitled to go through the humanitarian gate stood waiting beside it; it was to open at 06:00.
Many complained about the situation. They said there was also congestion and long lines yesterday. They’re afraid to miss a day of work, some even their place of work, because of the delays. People photograph the scene, perhaps to show their employer why they were late. Some ask that all the booths open already at 03:00. H., our acquaintance, arrives, sees the situation and decides to drive to Zeitim checkpoint (even farther from his home in Bidu village and from his job in the Mahane Yehuda market).
Meanwhile a security guard arrived, and toward 06:00 so did the female Druze soldier from the DCL along with another female soldier, and began to open the humanitarian gate. Women enter without inspection. Men only if they’re entitled to use the humanitarian gate. Others are sent to the regular line, which now means an even longer wait. We also waited, sometimes sitting on the benches, suffering from the stench rising from the bathrooms and mingling with cigarette smoke, and occasionally we went outside for some fresh air, to warm up in the sun that had risen in the meanwhile and to drink tea.
Later an additional guard arrived, additional soldiers, and the policemen also rotated and M. came. One of the guards told us there’s a plan to install new software that will make inspection at the booths faster. It usually takes about an hour for the congestion to be relieved and for orderly lines to reform. This time, even after orderly lines began forming behind the mass of people at the entrance to the cages, the congestion wasn’t relieved for a long time. It took two hours!!! When it appeared that the congestion had finally eased there were people at the entrance to the cages who tried to maintain order and the lines again stretched far into the parking lot – and then people again began running to the entrance to the cages when the revolving gates opened and again the lines collapsed. This time order was restored after about fifteen minutes. The lines finally had shortened when we joined them at approximately 07:40. At about 07:55 the humanitarian crossing closed and everyone was sent to the regular lines. It took us about 25 minutes to go through.
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-28-2026Qalandiya. The bridge leading from Jerusalem to the Qalandiya checkpoint
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