Qalandiya, Mon 2.6.08, Afternoon
From 3:00 till 6:00 PM
Since it looked that because of ‘Jerusalem Day'
there would not be much to observe at the checkpoints around the capital, we
drove to Atara. The road was as pastoral as usual and the traffic
on Road 60 also looked regular. When we approached the Atara CP we could not
believe our eyes. It was 4:00 PM and there was no queue of vehicles from any of
the three sides. The soldiers at the CP also looked relaxed and didn't even
object when we parked the car near the checkpoint and didn't shout at us when we
approached them to inquire why the place was so quiet. They asked us about our
‘task' and answered our questions readily. They too didn't know why there was so
little traffic.
Now and then they stopped a cab and took papers.
We timed hardly four minutes before the documents were returned. We also asked
the driver of one of the cars that had stopped for a minute what had happened
and the reply only consisted of blessings re our presence and wishes for good
health. Has the Messiah arrived…? We stayed for about an hour convinced that
there was nothing to do for us.
We
nevertheless decided to take a look at Qalandiya and we drove via the Nusseibeh
buildings and along the wall to the CP. As expected the place looked deserted.
The mere thought of the number of days during last months when life was
disrupted and work and income prevented from the Palestinians is horrifying. And
Shavuot is still before us………
Qalandiya Checkpoint / Atarot Pass (Jerusalem)
See all reports for this place-
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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