Qalandiya, Fri 30.8.13, Morning

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Passage Restrictions

Health Problems

Family Connections

Humanitarian Queue

Transfer Permits to Israel

Activity with Palestinian women and children in the West Bank

Observers:

Ofra T., Shelley, Nili F. (reporting)

Aug-30-2013

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Morning

9:00:Few people passing through the CP. At the café this was explained as a result of the happenings in the Kalandiya refugee camp, with three Palestinian casualties. Photos of the three were on the counter and we were told that the eldest casualty was 32 years old, father of four, the second casualty was a recently married 24-year-old, and the third was 17 years old.

Two lanes were open; the Humanitarian wasn't.

A severe stench (the toilets were locked, as they usually are) and garbage filled the area. The water taps were out of order (only one was operating) and Shelley (first time here), shocked by the sight, started collecting the garbage in a plastic bag!

9:10: More Palestinians arriving.

9:15: Two suit-wearing Palestinians approached us. They introduced themselves as employees of the Authority's Ministry of Information. They asked us to step inside and note how the soldiers were operating. One of them spoke Arabic, the other translated him into English. Ofra called the Matak requesting that another lane be opened, as well as the Humanitarian line. Their reply was that the commanders at the CP did not feel the pressure. To their mind, only tremendous pressure justifies the addition of another lane, even more so, the Humanitarian.

9:20: A Palestinian carrying a medical permit for hospitalization approaches the fence and tries to catch the attention of an idle soldier, but attention was declined: "get back in line", he indicated. Luckily, a very forthcoming and patient Matak girl-soldier noticed the incident, checked his permits, explained that the humanitarian line is not opened on Fridays save for pressure at prayer time, and she directed him, with his permit, to the regular lines. She remarked to us that the permit indicated that he was requested to be at the hospital only in the evening.

Notwithstanding, a third lane was launched. The lines are contracting…

German citizens - accompanied by a Palestinian - attempt to avoid standing in line. The girl-soldier took their passports and after having them checked told them to return to the normal line.

9:40: The CP is emptying. An elderly couple approaches the CP equipped with canes and collapsible stools – they've come prepared for the ordeal.

9:45: A group of women and children arrive at the CP. The kids are dressed festively, en route to a visit at the mosque. One of the women has a baby info-icon in a carriage - the carriage cannot of course cross through the narrow lane. The girl-soldier comes to the rescue and leads them through the humanitarian passageway.

The entire group was sent back as they did not have passage permits. One of the girls cried her heart out.

10:00: A lame elderly woman accompanied by her grandson had forgotten her permit at home. The girl-soldier checked the files according to the ID, found confirmation of the permit and wanted to let her through. But alas, it turned out that the grandson had no permit and would not be let through.

10:15: The CP is empty! We leave…

Location Description

Qalandiya Checkpoint

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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)

Apr-5-2024

Tamar Fleishman

Qalandiya: Four women from Nablus are refused crossing the checkpoint to pray

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