Qalandiya, Thu 8.12.11, Morning
Translator: Charles K.
We were supposed to begin at 10:00 but the guests from abroad left Haifa late and reached Qalandiya only at 10:30. During the half hour we waited for them, we had a chance to talk with the conference’s chairperson. It was astounding to discover how little she knew about the occupation in general, and about the checkpoints and what’s behind them in particular. Concepts like “residence” of East Jerusalemites, and their significance, seem “delusional.” “But they receive National Insurance Institute payments.” She’d never heard about “the focus of life,” of course – and that was only a tiny part of the discussion. Permits, magnetic card, “back-to-back,” “humanitarian crossing” – all that could have been happening on the moon, not on her doorstep.
The checkpoint is almost entirely empty at this hour. Two cleaners are sweeping the area of the fenced inspection corridors. The amount of trash swept up from the ground is astonishing. The shed is very clean – a sight we’re not used to. About ten people in one of the pens. Most are women; the men appear to be employed in white-collar occupations.
When I was asked to guide the group’s tour, I explained that it would be late by the time we arrived and the place would be empty. I was afraid that, without the morning’s congestion, Qalandiya would look like “just another border crossing” – but that didn’t happen. The guests were stunned and shocked. “Is that how people are treated?” “These crossings aren’t fit for human beings – they’re like cages for animals,” etc.
The coffee-seller is very pleased at the unexpected business. The coffee helps overcome some of the bitter cold, and participants asked many questions about the bureaucracy of occupation. The cruelty and inhumanity of the situation penetrated deeply into their consciousness.
The participants were very apprehensive about crossing over to the Palestinian side. “How will the Palestinians know not to fire at us?” Even though the crossing was smooth and easy, it was clear that a weight had been removed from their hearts when they were finally seated on the bus that took them to tour Jerusalem.
We left at 12:30.
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 FleishmanJul-21-2026Qalandiya. Conversation in the shadow of the wall
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