Israel has closed the only crossing between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and neighboring Jordan, stopping more than two million Palestinians from accessing the outside world.
The Israeli airports authority, which oversees the Allenby Bridge crossing, said it would be closed indefinitely from Wednesday morning 'at the direction of the political leadership.' It did not provide a reason.
This closure has stranded many Palestinians in the West Bank, who are unable to go on planned trips abroad. Those already abroad have been unable to travel home.
It comes days after two Israeli military personnel were shot dead near the crossing by a Jordanian gunman, who was killed at the scene.
The crossing—also known as the King Hussein Bridge—lies about halfway between Amman and Jerusalem and is the only official crossing point between the West Bank and Jordan that does not go through Israel.
Most Palestinians in the West Bank are not allowed to travel through Israeli airports or other Israeli border crossings, meaning the bridge is an essential connection to the outside world.
Prominent Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti described the closure as 'a dangerous move' that effectively imprisons people in the West Bank and severing connections between hundreds of thousands of families usually connected through Jordan.
Palestinians fear that the indefinite closure is part of an Israeli response to recent international moves to recognize the State of Palestine amidst heightened tensions and violence in the region.
The Allenby Bridge is also a crucial trade route for goods and medical supplies to enter the West Bank, highlighting the severe humanitarian implications of its closure.
This situation continues to evolve amid ongoing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, underscoring the deteriorating conditions in the region.
