Qalandiya, Tue 15.5.12, Afternoon
15:00-16:00 Throughout this time there was a trickle of pedestrians passing through in both directions. The section for vehicles was very crowded when we arrived – but later was completely empty. That checkpoint had probably been shut by the military.
There were traces of stone-throwing in the space just outside the fence of the parking lot. Real stone throwing seemed to be happening very far down the road. But there was a big military presence when we came, later reinforced by a large company. All the time soldiers were shooting tear gas (apparently from positions on the wall), and there was that large vehicle spewing out shower of stinking (sewage?) water. The wind brought the effects of both on to the inside of the parking lot so people were coughing and trying to block their noses.
This was the first time our team has gone to Qalandiya in the afternoon. It seems that perhaps this is too early an hour to get a real impression of everyday Qalandiya and that the heavy traffic comes later?
The traffic coming back via Jabbar and Khisme was very slow – but this was partly caused by an accident and some road works.
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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