Qalandiya, Thu 17.12.09, Afternoon
2:00 – 4:30 PM
The weather was cold and grey and so was our mood as we entered Qalandia. We looked at the new passages for VIPs only which we had seen a couple of weeks ago as they were constructed. The building had been completed, but we saw now movement of anyone through them. It was almost 3:00 PM when we entered the waiting hall, which was empty. Also the ‘sleeves' leading to the exits were empty at that time of the day. We decided to visit the DCL and to become acquainted with it. Many signs explained what its working hours were and what hours the local post office was open. At the entrance to gate number 5 a note in Arabic informed us that the post office
Was closed (a strike?), but nothing re the DCL. After we had tried a couple of times to shout at the entrance to gate number 5 the gate opened and at the window a polite soldier awaited us. Besides us there was no one at the DCL. We asked him whether he knew who we were and he said he did. We told him we would like to know how a DCL functions at a checkpoint itself and said that we were familiar with the Etzion DCL. He invited us to come in and showed us the instrument that issues magnetic cards. We were surprised at how simple the machine which in Etzion from outside had appeared to us like a monstrosity. He explained to us that the Qalandia DCL services 21 villages in the vicinity, all of them north of the Jerusalem envelope and noted that even the inhabitants of Katana (which is located quaite far off) receive their documents here. He said that they issue hundreds of magnetic cards as a well as other permits for various purposes. He said that here too, like in Etzion, each place is assigned to a specific day of the week. To us it looked as if this place is less threatening and more humane than Etzion.
Our trouble started when we wanted to leave the DCL and all the gates were closed. It took a long times before we found someone who was able to let us out to the entrance hall and from there through the other sleeves out of the CP. When we left there were already quite a lot of people in the entrance hall and at the gates, but the flow of people moved smoothly. Since it was dark so early and getting very cold, we didn't continue.
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 FleishmanApr-16-2025Qalandiya: summer fruit
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