Qalandiya: a shortcut through the breach in the fence
On my way back (as I understood from Mohammad, his and his people’s “country” is Palestine, while my and my people’s “country” is Israel) I saw this would-be wonder – the breach through which young people overcame the fence that goes around the mighty bridge and thus lengthens the oh-so-long way another several hundred meters.
I have much respect for people who seek breaches in fences and physical and bureaucratic barriers in order to overcome the obstacles placed by the illogical, merciless rule.
I came to meet anyone from the Tamimi family who – ever since this damned, endless war – has seen three of its members in jail.
At the family’s fruit stand I met one of my friend Abdallah’s cousins, a young unemployed man. He, who studied at Abu Dis University and specialized in the emergency room at a Ramallah hospital now – when the West Bank is hit by harsh unemployment and budgets and posts have been drastically reduced in the public sector – cannot find work in his profession as a certified nurse, and must work shifts in his uncle’s fruit stand.
People standing nearby said that Ahmad, Abdallah’s brother, terminated his prison sentence and came back home several days ago. He looks like a bean, they said, and told me that in Ofer prison Ahmad lost about 30 kilos.
As of now, of the three Tamimis, Abdallah is still at Ofer prison, and no one, including his father, knows why.
I, who know Abdallah since he was a boy over 20 years ago, am worried and afraid of whoever he will be, when he gets back.
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 FleishmanMay-31-2026Qalandiya. Human remains or clothing remains
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