Qalandiya
I came across the wall in search of Land Day – and could not find it.
Neither the day, nor its memory.
It had seemed to disappear helplessly under the accumulating distress and despair that only increase.
Are there no people in the public space between the refugee camp and the checkpoint, that place that no so long ago was the destination of demonstrations and protests, where pepper spray and teargas, and stun grenades went rampant? Nothing. Empty and gray.
A would-be success in state-made oppression and terrorism.
On the days of Passover week, a kind of closure is imposed on both sides of the wall, serving the sovereign’s interests.
Whoever has work in Jewish industry that is important for Jews – is exempted. Whoever has no such work – is enclosed.
An elderly acquaintance spoke sadly about the fact that no Palestinians have vaccines, except for Palestinian Authority senior officials and people holding work permits. Whoever is neither of the two, must register and be destined for vaccination in another month or more.
The vaccine is from Russia, he said. Good or not so good… It has been neither examined nor approved by the World Health Organization.
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 FleishmanJul-21-2026Qalandiya. Conversation in the shadow of the wall
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