Hell on earth: Qalandia checkpoint

The Electronic Intifada 2 May 2002

Qalandia checkpoint is one of the largest Israeli military checkpoints in the occupied West Bank. This checkpoint is not located on a border, but between the Palestinian town Ramallah, Qalandia refugee camp, and the Palestinian town of ar-Ram. It separates Ramallah residents from southern Palestinian towns and the northern Palestinian neighbourhoods of Jerusalem. Israeli soldiers check identity cards. Clogged traffic languishes, and pedestrians have to walk 300 rubbish-strewn yards to get across. The footage shows the full checkpoint as EI’s Arjan El Fassed and Annet Meeuws crossed it on their way from Ram to Ramallah on May 2, 2002.
  • View video [1:38 mins, Quicktime file, 5.8MB]

    Camera: Arjan El Fassed & Annet Meeuws; Editing: Arjan El Fassed


    SCREENSHOTS

    Palestinian men, women and children waiting in the sun at Qalandia checkpoint (Photo: AEF, 2002)

    Palestinian women on their way from Ramallah to Ram in front of Israeli soldier at Qalandia checkpoint (Photo: AEF, 2002)

    Palestinian men, women and children waiting in line before crossing Qalandia checkpoint from Ramallah to ar-Ram (Photo: AEF, 2002)

    Palestinian boys transporting a trolley full of CD’s from Ramallah to ar-Ram (Photo: AEF, 2002)

    Palestinian men, women and children waiting in line to cross Qalandia checkpoint to Ramallah (Photo: AEF, 2002)

    Related Links:

  • Weapons of the weak, Salman Natoor, Ha’aretz, 11 January 2002
  • International Checkpoint Watch
  • Crossing Kalandia, Anne Gwynne & Nigel Parry, Live from Palestine, 13 January 2003
  • West Bank’s checkpoints: A bitter, ‘normal’ existence, Mark Bowden, Philadelphia Inquirer, 1 June 2003
  • Close(d) to separation, Annet Meeuws, Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights, Report on the impact of closure and direct effects of checkpoints on East Jerusalem’s institutions and residents, May 2002
  • the feeling of closure, Arjan El Fassed, Live from Palestine, 8 June 2001
  • The banality of evil:
    One afternoon at Kalandia checkpoint    , MachsomWatch, 3 July 2002
  • Tora Bora land, Islah Jad, Live from Palestine, 3 July 2002
  • At Qalandia checkpoint, Diaa Hadid, Live from Palestine, 3 April 2002
  • Moving across checkpoints, Arjan El Fassed, Live from Palestine, 1 March 2002
  • I watched a soldier shoot at children, Lucy Winkett, The Guardian, 14 February 2002