Qalandiya, Monday 28.3.11, Afternoon
4.30 We left Jerusalem at 3.15 but owing to traffic only arrived at Qalandiya at about 4.30. As usual the soldiers were playing hide and seek with the Palestinians sending them from one turnstile to another, both in the shed and at the windows. There were people in all three outside lines in the shed stretching almost to the end of it and never at any time while we were there was this area empty. Even when there were practically no people at the windows the outside turnstile was locked while the two women soldiers inside the booth sat chatting. After all why not keep them standing uncomfortably in the narrow fenced in area which reminds one of a cattle run rather than letting them into the area of the windows where they could at least move about.
But then the soldiers found a new game. At first we did not see this because of the long line but suddenly our attention was brought to the fact that about 50 people coming home from work, etc. to Qalandiya were standing at the turnstile which is always open and was now locked. Phone call after phone call and it was opened. In the beginning we thought it was a temporary aberration but a while later we again noticed the same thing happening. This time we saw an even larger number waiting to continue their homeward journey. At the same time, although it was late, a crowd of people arrived from the area of the DCO inside the window area ….they managed to get through the turnstile inside the terminal but suddenly this was also closed and 4 members of their family were also stuck. So now we had two groups of people who were unable to come through on their way home.
We went to the booth where the woman soldier was now alone and called to her motioning that there were people waiting to come through but got no response. She started barking into the microphone but in such a way that no one could make out what she was saying, no one could make out what language she was speaking in and in fact no one could make out if it was a human language or not. We phoned the Moked and the DCO but still they waited. More phone calls and eventually the two turnstiles opened, the people streamed through and the family was united.
Practically the whole time that we were there only one window was open.
We left at 18.15.
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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