Qalandiya
Qalandiya was cold and quiet when we arrived there after 4 pm. On previous occasions Phyllis and I had noticed that when we returned to Jerusalem through Lil the abominable checkpoint was usually not manned. So we decided to see if we could go through and did so with no problem. The fact, however, is that coming from Jerusalem it is not worth it as even at 4 pm the line of mainly settlers is so long that it took about 20 minutes from Hizma to get to the roundabout near Adam.
But what a difference from the days when 10s of cars had waited for an interminable length of time to be checked on their way to Ramallah and the area. Previously we, as Israelis, had never been allowed to enter Qalandiya through this point on the absurd statement that it was for our own safety. The fact that we could enter through the Qalandiya terminal never made any difference.
Two windows were open for most of the time that we were there and for the most part people passed through with no problem. The only loud voice to be heard was that of a blond woman soldier who had decided to take a break from allowing people through. When they banged on the bars she started shouting and when the man came to the window she screamed at him to put out his cigarette. Probably worried about his health.
Later two soldiers shouted to ask us who we were and why we were loitering on the other side of the turnstile from the windows. When we called back that we were from Machsomwatch, we heard the one saying to the other “oy vey”. So we called back and said that we were not “oy vey" as we had no problem with the way they were carrying out their duties. We left at about 5 pm.
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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