Qalandiya, Sun 10.1.10, Morning
Roni P, Ruti R
05:15 – a line stretching beyond the entrance to the hall. Noise, shouting and pushing. Again the game of arbitrary opening of the turnstiles. Number 4 sleeve is closed. Close to our arrival there was a shift change. A blonde female soldier was lacquering her fingernails. Now it was clear why she couldn't open the turnstiles till her nails dried, and then only for a few, once this turnstile, then another. Apparently according to the speed of her nail drying. After half an hour she was relieved by a male soldier. He did his utmost to repair the damage done by her. Three turnstiles opened and people flowed through, but it was already late. The lines remained long and people pushed and were angry. The Ecumenicals told us that, in their opinion, the male soldiers try to pass people through in orderly and methodical fashion, much more so than the women.
06:15 – the humanitarian line fills up. The policeman, a DCO representative and the guards arrive in time to open the humanitarian gate. I no longer have the strength to complain yet again about their failing judgement. It is important to note that the DCO rep was polite and ready to answer questions. But the policeman wouldn't let him, even when the armed civilian stood with drawn weapon facing us to "protect" him. The policeman said that there was a serious incident this week and they are forbidden to stand outside. What an absurdity… [L.W]
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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 FleishmanMay-13-2025Qalandiya: Back-to-back procedure for transferring patients
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