Qalandiya - A quiet morning
05.15. Still very dark, but already many people waiting for transport and the café is full.
There were no queues in the shed, and few people waiting at the checking stations. The turnstiles were open and people entered immediately. The soldier in the aquarium had switched on the light inside and so, for a change, one could see what was going on inside. The area around the aquarium was filthy, the trash can overflowing, all of which the cats enjoyed.
We did not see much progress in building.
The turnstile nearest the aquarium was faulty and did not open, but the other two remained open all the time, even later when quite a line formed at each checking station. Apparently the machine at station 5 was out of order and every now and again it was announced that the station was open only to people without baggage. At about 6 a policeman arrived and sat outside the aquarium
We met a family – father,pregnant mother, and sweet young boy – going for medical treatment – who were sent back. Their permit was for 7 o’clock and they had to wait. We later saw the father and son praying – the little boy watching every movement of his fathr so that he could copy – at the same time looking around and taking an interest in the surroundings.
Shortly after 6 the soldiers changed watch, and a guard arrived. At about 6.20 the D.C.O. officer arrived, but she had no work today, as there was no need to open the humanitarian gate. At 6.25 we entered the cage and in less than 15 minutes were through, back on the sraeli side.
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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