Qalandiya: Scarcity and despair prevail everywhere
A moment after the ceasefire of a war inside another war, at the end of this idiotic war, and a moment before the beginning of the Holocaust Memorial Day commemorating what was done to us, lords of the land, and not what we did to this land’s indigenous – after a long absence I returned to Qalandiya.
My acquaintances, young and old, gave me a warm welcome.
Want and desperation is there for all to see.
I sat down for a long talk at Abdallah’s fruit stand, Abdallah, who even now – over a year since he was released from the so-called military courts – does not know the reason for his incarceration. Abdallah, hit and starved for many months in prison, says: “Perhaps the Israeli Security Services know, I don’t”.
He remembers the tribulations of his incarceration, but is determined not to let them hurt him mentally, and keeps his optimism – until our talk turned to his son Mustafa’s medical status, born with a hearing impairment.
Five years ago, Mustafa was operated on at the Hadassa Hospital in Jerusalem’s Ein Kerem. The doctors introduced a subcutaneous instrument beside his ear, and once a year he is expected there for checkup and update. However, October 7, 2023 has completely changed everything: transit, work and health permits were all annulled, Abdallah was abducted and imprisoned, Mustafa was neither summoned nor treated and his hearing worsened. “Now he doesn’t hear at all”, says the worried father.
A few weeks ago, Abdallah called the clinic and was told that because of the war with Iran the hospital’s activity has been reduced. At the end of the war, he called again and was told that the case is known and they’ll get back to him.
“My wife must travel with the child. I am prevented from going”.
On my way there and back, I could not ignore the new sign now decorating the walls of Ofer Prison: “The lion’s roar”.
Location Description
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 FleishmanApr-12-2026Qalandiya. Abdallah at his fruit stand
-