Qalandiya
05.15. On the Israeli side there were already more people than usual at this hour. This was because of Ramadan, when people ate early before the day’s fast, and then came immediately to the checkpoint. Many were sleeping along the sidewalks. In the café near the parking lot, men were resting, and on the tables were cups and bottles with remains of coffee or water.
At the entrance on the Israeli side we met our acquaintance N. who said he had already spoken a few times on the phone with officials of the checkpoint, because there was a lot of pressure. Apparently the latter were not so familiar with Ramadan routine and did not open all the checking stations early enough. N. said he had also spoken with members of “Blue and White”, the right-wing organization, who said they would send a representative – but we did not see him. (True, we left very early, as will be explained later.) N. said that the whole week the situation had been bad. Yesterday it took him 3 hours to pass – he got out only at 8. He delivers gas and according to him he could have delivered a whole truckload in that time.
Inside, the lines were orderly and extended slightly beyond the shed. The metal partitions that were there last week have been removed. Inside, in the aquarium the light was on and we could see the soldier. From time to time she seemed to be sleeping, but nevertheless kept aware and opened the turnstiles at a reasonable rate. By the time we arrived all 5 stations were open. Of course, there was no eating, drinking or smoking.
Today, too, we had an arranged meeting with M., a cancer patient from Jordan valley who comes to Hadassah for treatment. He arrived very early, well before 6 o’clock. We therefore shortened our watch, hoping the current steady rate of progress would continue. Together with M. we joined a line and were outside by 6 o’clock. On the way to the parking – lot we saw many men sitting and lounging along the way, while waiting for their transport to work. By now the tables of the café were clear of remains of drinks that they had had before dawn.
At this early hour there were no traffic jams. Already at 6.30 we parted with good wishes from M. at his clinic in Hadassah.
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-8-2025Qalandiya: Emptiness in public space
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