Qalandiya - slow passage, long lines, freezing wind
Routine Morning
Five checking stations were open when we arrived at 5:30. It was 6 degrees C. outside (and inside, as well, where it was also pretty dark, as only 4 of the 12 florescent lights were burning), and the lines reached outside the shed into the strong and freezing wind. When we entered from the southern side of the checkpoint, we saw that the lines in the “sleeves” (the short corridors leading into the checking stations) were very short. Nevertheless, the turnstiles at the end of the “cages” (the three narrow, bar-lined passages situated near the entrance to the checkpoint) were not being opened by the soldier responsible for the flow of traffic through the cages. We thought that perhaps he had fallen asleep. But he was quite awake, and after we appeared he began to open the turnstiles for longer periods during each round, which helped to rescue more people from the wind outside.
This situation continued until 6:05, when his replacement began operating the turnstiles and, for whatever reason, failed to open the one furthest from her, at the end of the cage on the right, a number of times in succession. Because we could not establish communication with her inside the booth, we called the hot line and asked them to inform her of the situation. When that failed to transpire, we caught her attention through the booth’s window and with hand movements tried to explain to her that Turnstile #1 (on the right) was not opening – but to not avail.
Fortunately, at 6:15, just as the line on the right was beginning to collapse – as it had remained stuck while the other two lines had repeatedly moved forward – a Civil Administration soldier and security guard arrived and saved the day by entering the booth and opening all three turnstiles at once. Afterward, the soldier responsible for the flow forward took care to let through a large number of people each time she opened the turnstiles, so that most of the people waiting on line were standing inside the shed.
The Humanitarian Gate opened at 6:15 and operated without incident until just before 7:00, by which time the lines through the cages were short. In a brief conversation with the Civil Administration officer, we learned that the new building is slated to open in March (!) and the security check for Palestinians with biometric cards is expected to take mere seconds. When this transpires, we will be delighted to report it.
At 7:00 we joined one of the (by now very short) lines going through the cages and exited the checkpoint 15 minutes later.
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
-