Qalandiya
06.00. We decided to start coming later, as the Palestinians have also started arriving later than in the past. There is a big difference in the amount of traffic, and we headed straight for the new pay parking lot (20 shekels). The man operating it is an elderly east Jerusalem man,retired from Jerusalem municipality. He worked many years with “Nir Barkat,” as he says. Though the new mayor asked him to stay on, he decided he had had enough, and was now old.
There is a lot of roadwork on the Israel side of the checkpoint, making crossing difficult. Many people had already come out of the checkpoint.
When we crossed to the Palestinian side we showed our guest the old shed and described past conditions. The beigel seller was present, as well as the falafel kiosk which had been missing recently – its owner hoped he would be allowed to stay – which he was, today, until his time for packing up at about seven. The beigel seller told us he earns 80 shekels a day. At home he cares for three young grandchildren whose father takes drugs. As he has to stand outside of the shelter, he cannot come when it rains. Today at least the weather is fair, and there is no problem about standing outside (as long as he is allowed to do so).
Suddenly queues began to form at the three entrances to the checkpoint – apparently there was some hitch in the automatic checking that caused delays. Fortunately this problem was quickly solved and the lines vanished.
We took our visitor towards Qalandiya refugee camp to show her the wall and its graffiti, and also where to catch a taxi or minibus to Ramallah which was planning to visit later for her research project.
On our return we saw everything was proceeding smoothly and at about 7, we decided to leave. Our visitor wanted to see the process. All proceeded smoothly until the bag check. She had a large backpack containing her laptop. For some reason the soldiers in the aquarium did not know how to handle the ‘problem’ and had to get advice by telephone. Meanwhile we waited, with a few people who were stuck behind us in line between the turnstiles.. One of them managed to move back and go to be checked at the other side of the aquarium where there is another machine. The others had to wait, and we apologized for the delay. The soldiers were not prepared simply to let them pass. After the soldiers got advice, our visitor was told to take out her laptop and open it for them. The backpack passed through the screening without the laptop – safely. We passed the turnstile and then reached the document checking point. The Palestinians passed through the electronic stations, while we were checked by a woman soldier, and got through in an instant.
We accompanied our visitor back to the entrance to the Palestinian side for her to reach Ramallah, and returned to the car. Next week we will try to come a bit later to see conditions then.
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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