Qalandiya
A quiet morning at Qalandiya.
06.15. On arrival, we faced a cold, strong wind. In the square on the Israeli side, police were directing traffic to give precedence to traffic coming from Qalandiya. It is the first time we have seen the traffic slowdown being caused by this and not by checking of cars.
On the pedestrian bridge a constant stream of workers. But when we finished crossing and went down the steps, we noticed the stream had stopped. We realized what had stopped the flow when we reached the Palestinian side and saw queues under the shelter – though not long ones. Soon after, the entrances to the checkpoint were opened and the queues dwindled. None were formed again while we were there.
We met Abu Ramzi our friend the beigel-seller, as usual now standing at the Al-Ram-facing entrance because the entrance at Qalandiya camp is still shut. Once again he was accompanied by a grandson as school was closed. We wished him greetings for Ramadan which will start about 14th April, but hope to see him before then (Of course, no beigel-selling during the month.).
We returned to the building. On top of the large poster about Corona is a paper notice about the elections on 23.3, saying that the voting booth would be in the government offices attached to the checkpoint.
There were relatively many children today on their way to school, including little ones unaccompanied by adults, mostly 2 or more siblings or together. Some are already holding their laminated Israeli birth certificates, their “Kushan” (authorization) allowing them to enter.
At 7 a.m. we entered via the middle entrance. We saw that 5 out of the 6 bag checking- machines were working and there were no queues (still without any connection to Corona regulations…). 7 electronic document-checking stations were open and there was no pressure. We of course passed at the personal checking station where the soldier let us through without delay. All together we went through the checkpoint in 10 minutes.
Outside once again we faced very strong wind which we had to fight crossing the bridge. In the field on the Israel side where we had parked, the red anemones have given way to yellow mustard and asters, with lots of green of course. But it was too windy to stop and photograph. By our next visit maybe it will all be yellow-brown?
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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