Qalandiya Checkpoint

Nakba Day demonstration at Qalandia did not end as planned

It was the first coordinated, simultaneous, united (though under different leaderships) attempt by Palestinian refugees to return to the land of their origin (if not birth, as up to three generations have been now born outside, in the worldwide diaspora since 1947-48).

In the West Bank, the May 15 Qalandia checkpoint event was planned as non-violent.

The coalition of Manara (Ramallah’s Central Square) + Mar15 youth groups insisted on that, and appealed to the Qalandia youth not to throw stones in order to avoid provoking a forceful IDF response.

Qalandia on a good day – the photo that needs no caption
taken on 4 May by Tamar Fleishman of Machsom Watch:

Qalandia on a good day - photo by Tamar Fleishman

In the hours ahead of the planned 11 am start of the event, IDF troops and Border Police units and special forces arrived at the checkpoint. One group of about 12-15 soldiers wearing olive green uniforms moved out of the staging area and lined up along the entrance on the Jerusalem side of Qalandia as cars were passing by. They all pointed the barrels of their black automatic rifle-sized weapons up to the sky, and in unison they cocked the triggers several times, in a group ritual that was also an intimidating display.

Plenty of IDF troops on the scene at Qalandiya checkpoint were armed with weapons that could only use live bullets — but reports of the use of live ammunition, or of any injuries resulting from live ammunition, remained unconfirmed.

In any case, the stone-throwing started within an hour of the start of the demonstration…

Demonstrators say the tear-gassing began first.

Photos posted by Sawt al-Manara on Facebook
the start of Nakba Day demonstration at Qalandia
Fadi Quran, one of leaders of Manara youth coalition, in black beret:

In the black beret and t-shirt, Fadi Quran, one of leaders of Manara youth coalition

and

Demonstrators run away from tear gas barrage which affects trapped cars, businesses, and families in their homes along the street

Israeli activist Joseph Dana said at a press briefing on IMEU’s Blogtalk radio on Tuesday afternoon that the Israeli military “immediately opened fire with tear gas”, and noted that “there was a solid hour, or hour-and-a-half, at the start of the demonstration when not a single stone was thrown, yet there were dozens of injuries caused to demonstrators [by the IDF]”…

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights [PCHR], based in Gaza, reported Monday that “The demonstrators threw stones and empty bottles towards Israeli soldiers, who had been heavily deployed near the checkpoint beginning in the early morning. Israeli forces immediately fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators”…

The truth is that almost nobody had a complete view of everything that happened.

Continue reading Nakba Day demonstration at Qalandia did not end as planned

Qalandia Checkpoint "closed for a day"

This morning, messages began to arrive about a “demonstration” being held at Qalandia checkpoint, between Jerusalem and Ramallah. Nine people, including a journalist, were reportedly detained.

This evening, the IDF spokespersons office sent around this message:
“Approximately 90 Palestinians attempted on Sunday morning (Dec. 26) to breach the Qalandiya crossing, hurling rocks at security forces on the scene. Six rioters were arrested and taken for questioning by security forces. Nine months ago, four Palestinians who tried to breach the same crossing were arrested when they hurled rocks and threw a firebomb at security forces. During that event, no injuries were reported among IDF forces and the Palestinians were transferred for security questioning. Following the incident, the Central Command decided that the crossing would be closed for a day“.

UPDATE: A first SMS message during the morning suggested that internationals — NOT Palestinians — had been arrested at Qalandia. This was not, however, mentioned in the IDF announcement (shown above). On Monday, the Jerusalem Post reported, quoting Israel Radio, that nine French nationals (including one journalist) were arrested at Qalandia, and will be deported: “The Interior Ministry will deport nine French activists arrested while demonstrating at the Kalandia crossing into Jerusalem on Sunday, Israel Radio reported on Monday“… Then, the JPost incongruously just added the information supplied by the IDF announcement, which mentioned only six persons arrested: “About 90 Palestinians and international activists threw rocks at security forces, and six rioters were arrested and taken for questioning in the incident on Sunday”. This JPost report can be viewed here.

UPDATE TWO: Press TV reported today that “The protesters were rallying on Sunday against the illegal apartheid wall that Israel is building across the occupied West Bank, organizers told AFP … Israeli police claim the arrests were made after protesters tried to cross the Qalandia checkpoint north of East al-Quds (Jerusalem). A spokesman for the French EuroPalestine activist group said nine French citizens were arrested at the demonstration, adding that one Palestinian detained at the protest was later released. Earlier on Saturday, French activist Layli Ben Saffi was detained by the Israeli military during a protest against Israeli settler activity in the West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron)”. This is reported here.

The Jordan Times picked up a report from Agence France Press which quoted the spokesperson for the Israeli national police [not Border Police, which is part of the Army] saying: ” ‘Our forces today dispersed protesters who were throwing rocks at us and proceeded to arrest nine people, including some foreigners’, Micky Rosenfeld said. ‘The protest took place at the Qalandia checkpoint, north of Jerusalem, and the police made arrests after the activists tried to cross the checkpoint’, he added. A spokesman for the French EuroPalestine activist group said nine French citizens were arrested at the demonstration. A Palestinian detained at the protest was later released, he said On Saturday, another French activist, Layli Ben Saffi, was arrested by the Israeli military during a protest against Israeli settler activity in the West Bank city of Hebron. He was released on Saturday evening. Some 70 members of the EuroPalestine group have spent the last week in the Palestinian territories on an observer mission, a group spokesman said”. 32927

Qalandia checkpoint between Jerusalem + Ramallah: a "monstrosity"

Here, from the Institute for Palestine Studies TV (yes!) is an interview with an American professor (of Palestinian origin, apparently) about describe the disgraceful Qalandia [Qalandiya] checkpoint — or “border terminal” — between Jerusalem and Ramallah.

Asked to try to describe this large and terrible checkpoint for those who have never seen it, Professor Helga Tawil-Souri said the first word that came to her mind was “monstrosity” — then followed by “oppressive”, “scary”, “sad”, “absurd”, and “disruptive”.

Like other Israeli checkpoints to control Palestinian movement, Professor Tawil-Souri said, it has also become a transport, economic and social hub. It has also, like other checkpoints, become a focus of protest … from time to time.

Continue reading Qalandia checkpoint between Jerusalem + Ramallah: a "monstrosity"

Is Qalandia checkpoint high-tech?

Reema Hammami has called the disgraceful concrete and steel Qalandia Checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah high-tech. Is it?

A report published in February – March of this year on “TRACKING CORPORATE COMPLICITY IN THE OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE”, part of the Corporate Watch website here, says this: “Qalandiya Terminal, the crossing between East Jerusalem and Ramallah, is often the first military checkpoint visitors cross when entering the West Bank. During the second intifada, the Israeli state began transforming the old Qalandiya checkpoint into a ‘terminal’, similar to an international border. The process has cost between $32 and $34 million and has delivered hefty profits to the contractors involved”…

Does this make it high-tech?

Continue reading Is Qalandia checkpoint high-tech?

U.S. "demands" IDF probe

Haaretz reported today that “The United States embassy has demanded an investigation into how an American citizen lost her eye last week at the Qalandiyah checkpoint after being struck by a tear gas grenade”.

I would guess that “demanded” might be too strong a word.

[Later, I noticed that the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, JTA, used the probably-more-accurate verb “requested”…]

Continue reading U.S. "demands" IDF probe