Qalandiya
I wanted to write only about the time I spent waiting – at the entrance to the checkpoint – for a group of Gazans, about their arrival covered by drawn rifles, what I learned from bits of conversations with them, with their transport drivers, and with the Israeli soldiers about the rules and regulations of their return to Gaza. But then two ambulances of the Red Crescent arrived and I decided not to mix things, and to complete the puzzle of their return to Gaza with more conversations and more inquiries that would yield a conclusive, comprehensive document.
As for the ambulances, the Red Crescent crews carried out a back-to-back procedure with a man who, according to his garments – pajamas covered by a house coat – was doubtlessly brought directly from his home, from his sickbed, and sent by his doctors’ orders to the Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus.
To my question why it should take so long to cross the checkpoint, he has a blue (Israeli resident) ID after all, the security guard in charge explained that blue ID holders, too, are required to coordinate. That’s why.
So yes, Palestinians with residents’ IDs are considered privileged as far as freedom of movement goes, but privilege too is relative, and crucially dependent on which side of the wall one lives.
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 FleishmanApr-26-2026Qalandiya. Things you see on the way
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