Qalandiya
05.25. There were already long, but orderly, lines. As usual lately, only 4 checking stations were open, the fifth one opening after 6 o’clock. Lines advanced slowly, but allowing women to fit in at the entrance to the cages. Groups and individuals would pray and then join the line. Our friend H. told us that yesterday there were checkpoints on the way to his home in the Bidu area, checking that those returning have permits. Because of this, even going home is a lengthy business … and the checkpoints themselves are of course not effective. He said he told this to the soldiers – “after all, we know already when we are at work that there are checkpoints today, so a person without a permit won’t go this way!”
At 6, there are already people waiting at the humanitarian gate which is not yet open. After ‘changing of the guard’ in the aquarium the replacement soldier started opening the turnstiles less frequently and, sometimes, not all three, which of course led to people in the cages to shout at him. The situation improved when the policewoman arrived – she opened the turnstiles and, thereafter, instructed the soldier when to open them. She apparently also spoke to someone in authority, which perhaps is why checking station no.5 opened soon after. The humanitarian gate, however, opened only at 6.25, when the D.C.O. officer and guard arrived.
While waiting, we spoke with two men we have met previously. They are teachers and, therefore, entitled to use the humanitarian gate. But the long wait there really hampers them. They would like to be able to pass the checkpoint in the special bus that transports doctors, or in public transport which is used by people with blue i.d. cards but live outside the wall. They suggest that their permits could have a special stamp so that when passengers are checked, they can be easily identified. We have passed this request to Hanna Barag who will check if this is feasible. (While chatting, they told us about the schools they teach in, and that tomorrow they will be starting their Christmas and New Year vacation.)
We went outside to check on the non-progress of the building works, and to show Illit how Qalandiya has changed since her time. Returning, we were happy for a moment to see that the lines outside had disappeared – but then learned that this was because the lines had collapsed. As this happened relatively late in the morning, when there were not so very many people, it did not take long before the lines re-formed. But each time the turnstiles opened, there was pushing and shouting. We saw the guard speaking with people in the cage, but couldn’t hear them.
Soon after 7.30 the lines were short, and we joined one. At this stage the humanitarian gate was closed and the soldier, guard and policewoman left. It took us 25 minutes to pass. Thanks to the Hanukkah vacation, there was no traffic jam and we quickly reached the city centre.
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 FleishmanFeb-27-2026Qalandiya: On the way to prayer
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