Qalandiya
04:15
Already on the way to the checkpoint, we met some pedestrians on their way to the industrial park of Atarot.
The road from highway #443 up to the checkpoint area was totally dark and the pedestrians were quite invisible – quite dangerous for both the pedestrians and the drivers. Apparently, they intend to widen the road (another indication that the occupation is here “to stay”), which meanwhile makes the driving even more difficult.
Even at this early hour, the place was full of people and the line was proceeding slowly, but without trouble. At about 05:00 there was a long line up to the entrance to the shed. The “cages” were full and crowded. The students, for whom this was all new and unknown, were horrified and speechless. Indeed – what can you say which hasn’t already been said about this disgrace. The Ecumenicals were also there and mainly stood with us and listened to what was said.
I spoke with a man who knows me, because some time in the distant past I helped him. He said that the situation at Qalandiya is desperate – the time needed to go through gets longer from day to day. The more time that goes by, the bitterness increases and the total anger. To the question about what will be in the future, I answered with the same question – what will be??
At 07:30 we all passed to the “Israeli” side and traveled back to my house. I gave them a light breakfast and spoke with them for almost 3 hours. It was more pleasant while sitting down, far from the rubbish and stink of what is called a toilet at Qalandiya. Except for us, they hadn’t met any other Israelis. At their preparation meetings, they met with a representative from the Embassy. One can guess what he reported to them. Happily, they also asked me about the accomplishments of the State of Israel, beyond the continuation of the “enligfhtened occupation”. Because of all our bitterness and discouragement, we tend to forget that, here and there, important and significant things are done here. Exhausted, I went to sleep!
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-16-2026Qalandiya CP: shortcut
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