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08 :00: Qalandiya
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Qalandiya, Mon 12.11.07, Morning
Observers: Ronny P. and Judy S. and a guest
06.45 :Sho'afat Camp
There are many buses taking the children to various schools.
At the checkpoint a couple of women and a man who were sent back. The man has all the permits but alas the wrong address in his ID. Not allowed to go through this checkpoint. He moved and hasn't changed his address in his ID yet. No wonder – it takes time and it's not worth the effort. He says mostly they let him through The officer who even agreed with us that most Israelis don't have a clue of how hard and complicated the Palestinians' life is told us that even if he brings his new lease to show he has moved he wouldn't let him through. Regulations.
08 :00: Qalandiya
We stopped to talk to the families of prisoners at Offer and heard some of their stories.
A man on the way to visit his son- almost a year hs passed and no trial. One night they just came and took his 16-year old son away. They have a lawyer and he hopes that after a year the son will be released.
At the checkpoint at 09.15 the DCO is still closed. We called the commander and he too was surprised that the turnstile leading to the DCO was closed although the office itself had opened. Everyone looked at us with great admiration. We did something earth shaking!
Naturally those whose papers were OK will get permits and some will be called for an interview with a Captain X. and will not be given a permit until then.
In sharp contrast to the filthy environment the building of Government offices is clean.
There was nothing unusual about the morning routine today and we left at 10am
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 FleishmanApr-16-2025Qalandiya: summer fruit
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