Hizma, Jaba (Lil), Qalandiya

Place:

Hizma

Jaba (Lil)

Qalandiya

Observers:

Roni Hammermann, Tamar Ivri and Tamar Fleishman; Transaltor: Tal H.

Apr-10-2016

Afternoon

Haven’t seen you for a long time, I said to a fellow whom I hadn’t seen for a long time.

-I was released from prison only a few days ago. I was in Ofer for two months, he said indifferently, the fellow I hadn’t seen for a long time.

He, who had already been “inside”, does not make this into a big deal. It is I who do, not letting go and asking and hearing why, and where, and how long. And he, having finished telling in detail, added resignedly: That’s what our life is like. There’s nothing to do about it.

And took his leave, continuing on his way.

Then he stopped, turned around and said: “There are many kids there. Lots and lots.”
And his face was no longer indifferent.

Again the long and winding vehicle waiting-line on the way to Jab’a tells the story of the checkpoint around the bend.

- We’re looking for weaponssaid the soldier whose name is Noam and whose home is Tapuah settlement.

Well, did you find any?

-Today we’re looking for two wanted men.

How does one look for two wanted men?
- We received photos, and I remember what they look like.

Perhaps it occurs to the soldiers, and perhaps not, that what they are actually doing in this place, except for disrupting the lives of thousands, is to thin out vehicular traffic on Road 60 bound for Hizma Checkpoint, in order to make traffic easier for the settlers on the go.

http://www.haaretz.co.il/news/politics/.premium-1.2912229

-Precisely 15 minutes ago they (policemen)left here, told us an old acquaintance at Hizma village.
The police was there for some hours in the morning, left, and came back in the afternoon. Distributed tickets (violation reports) and left.

Every day, every single day the army and/or police come to the village, block access, inspect, fine people and make arrests.

-Two weeks ago six children were arrested in the village.

Perhaps six of the many many kids mentioned by the fellow I met at Qalandiya.

Haven’t seen you for a long time, I said to a fellow whom I hadn’t seen for a long time.

-I was released from prison only a few days ago. I was in Ofer for two months, he said indifferently, the fellow I hadn’t seen for a long time.

And took his leave, continuing on his way.

Then he stopped, turned around and said: “There are many kids there. Lots and lots.”
And his face was no longer indifferent.

Again the long and winding vehicle waiting-line on the way to Jab’a tells the story of the checkpoint around the bend.

- We’re looking for weaponssaid the soldier whose name is Noam and whose home is Tapuach settlement.

Well, did you find any?

-Today we’re looking for two wanted men.

How does one look for two wanted men?
- We received photos, and I remember what they look like.

http://www.haaretz.co.il/news/politics/.premium-1.2912229

Every day, every single day the army and/or police come to the village, block access, inspect, fine people and make arrests.

-Two weeks ago six children were arrested in the village.

Perhaps six of the many many kids mentioned by the fellow I met at Qalandiya.

Location Description

Jaba (Lil)

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In fact, the Jaba checkpoint is east of the Qalandiya checkpoint. Its declared purpose is the prevention of Israeli citizens from entering Area A.
A road checkpoint for vehicles, located on Road 65, borders the southern fence of Kfar Jaba, about three kilometers east of the Qalandiya checkpoint, on the road leading to the settlement of Adam on Road 60.
Archaeological excavations within the village found the remains of a cloth house from the First Temple period. The events that led to the construction of the checkpoint are precisely here: on the day of the abduction of Gilad Shalit and before the outbreak of the Second Lebanon War, a 17-year-old man from one of the settlements was abducted by a Palestinian cell.
His body was found several days later at the entrances to Ramallah. A military investigation revealed that his abductors had taken him along this route. The checkpoint was set up to prevent future kidnappings and to warn settlers from traveling to Ramallah and entering Area A (which is forbidden for Israelis).
The checkpoint that operates around the clock. Usually only vehicles traveling in the direction of Ramallah are inspected.
(November 2016): Every morning, when the settlers en masse travel to Jerusalem on Route 60 and every afternoon they return from Jerusalem on Route 60, the army initiates a traffic jam at the entrance to the Jaba checkpoint and stops the movement of Palestinians traveling toward Route 60.
(February 2020): In the last two years the checkpoint has not always been manned. Sometimes the soldiers come and just stand, sometimes they come and stop and check those who enter the village, sometimes they patrol the alleys of the village, sometimes they fire stun grenades and gas and sometimes they invade houses and stop young people, say those passing through the Hazma checkpoint.
(Updated February 2020)

Hizma

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A checkpoint at the north-eastern entrance to the Jerusalem area which was annexed in 1967, at Pisgat Zeev. The passage is allowed to bearers of blue IDs only. Open 24 hours a day.

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: The men who were refused passage, return

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