Qalandiya, Thu 17.5.12, Morning
When we arrived at 6:05, the lines were very long but when the shift came on duty fifteen minutes later, the lines all began to move rapidly. One has to ask the question as to why these lanes cannot be monitored and opened sooner rather than waiting for the new shift.
A group of MP cadets came to tour the facility and saw the rather large number of Palestinians waiting to pass through the check point, a dramatic sight for them to encounter.
When we questioned why a very ill man had to wait to go through the humanitarian gate we were rudely informed that there are rules and he must wait until they are ready and prepared to allow him and the group to pass through. Eventually, the whole group was ushered through.
One man suggested that the lines at this checkpoint seem to be getting longer with more and more people passing through.
Given this situation, it seems only reasonable to demand more lanes for both foot and vehicular traffic. In addition, there is only one line for students which exacerbates an already tough situation.
In our opinion, the facilities at Qalandia are simply insufficient to meet the needs of a growing population, causing unnecessary resentment and anger.
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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