Qalandiya
A calm morning at Qalandiya.
05.15. On arrival we were happy to see that the lines were short and did not extend out of the shed. The beigel-seller was absent (we found out later that he was ill that day). Outside we met a group of ecumenical volunteers – unusual for a Wednesday. They were in the process of changing teams so a group of ‘veterans’ had come to explain procedures to their replacements. They were happy to meet us and get more information from us.
The weather was pleasant and people were in short sleeves. Four checking stations were open. We met our acquaintance H. who, last week, told us that his leg had been hurt by a turnstile. By today his condition was better and he was getting treatment.
Although the humanitarian gate did not open at 6, there was really no need, as women and all those ‘entitled’ easily joined the regular lines which never extended beyond the shed. After 6 the fifth checking station was also opened. A little later a guard arrived and he began to operate the humanitarian gate without waiting for a D.C.O. officer, who arrived later.
At about 6.45 we joined a line. After we passed the turnstile at the end of the cage, we debated which checking=station line to choose. We chose no.4, but moved to no.3 which seemed to be moving faster. In the end we emerged at the same time as those who were behind us in no.4 …
It took 15 minutes to pass.
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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