Qalandiya, Thu 5.5.11, Morning
10.00 – 14.00
Yoav is a high school student, 17 years old, who wanted to make a film about Machsom watch as his school project. Our crew met him and told him about the way we perceive our activity and suggested to him to do the field work in a place that in many ways represents some of the evils of occupation and checkpoints, the bizarre village of Nebi Samuel.
We have already accompanied Yoav there a few times but on this day we had the opportunity to see things we have not seen before on our visits to the village. The very small school building which we assumed to be abandoned because whenever we came there in the afternoons it was closed and locked was open. The principal greeted and welcomed us when he saw our MW badges. In the tiny classroom eight (!) children of grades one to three learn together and the Math teacher tries to teach each of them according to his or her needs. The principal told us that the plan to create a small shaded area for the children to learn under in the hot summer days was hindered by the Israeli authorities as they hinder every trial to better the lives of the inhabitants of the village. He also repeated the story of the spacious and beautiful house next to the school that belonged to collaborators and was lately sold to Jewish settlers. Another step in the process of Jewish occupation. We also visited the mosque that according to tradition is the burial site of the prophet Samuel. Now it mainly serves as a synagogue. Then we went to talk to our acquaintance, the grocery store owner. He told us about the difficulties inflicted on the few inhabitants who remained in the village and who try to live a more or less normal life, even the little sheep pen that was built with wooden and tin planks was torn down lately. When we asked how many families remained in the village he answered that at the moment there are twelve. How can he make a living from such a small number of buyers? His answer was that of course there is not enough to live on but what else can he do when he is not allowed to work in Jerusalem which he did in the past.
Will Yoav be able to convey in his movie all he saw and experienced? Will this bring to a discussion among his school friends? We believe that the investment in these directions is worthwhile.
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 FleishmanJul-21-2026Qalandiya. Conversation in the shadow of the wall
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