Israel to Close West Bank-Jordan Crossing Amid Rising Tensions
JERUSALEM: Israel announced that it will indefinitely close the Allenby Crossing, the only border point between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Jordan, starting Wednesday. The closure comes just days after the crossing was reopened.
The Allenby Crossing serves as the main gateway for Palestinians in the West Bank to travel abroad and is a key route for transporting commercial goods between Jordan and the occupied territory.
The decision follows remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said his government would respond to recent international recognition of a Palestinian state after returning from the United States. Countries including France, Britain, Canada, and Australia have announced recognition of Palestine in recent days, aiming to revive momentum for a two-state solution.
Rallies in the West Bank
In response to the wave of recognition, crowds gathered in the occupied West Bank to celebrate, waving Palestinian and European flags and holding posters of President Mahmud Abbas. Nationalist slogans echoed through Ramallah, where officials from Fatah and the Palestinian Authority joined the public in demonstrations.
“This recognition is a first step in a process we hope will continue,” said Jibril Rajoub, secretary-general of Fatah’s central committee, praising decades of Palestinian resistance and determination.
However, many Palestinians expressed ambivalence. Roula Ghaneb, an academic from Tulkarem, attended the Ramallah rally holding a photo of her 20-year-old son, detained under poor conditions for eight months. “We don’t want words, we want action,” she said, emphasizing the need to end violence and improve the reality on the ground.
The indefinite closure of the Allenby Crossing underscores ongoing political tensions in the region and highlights the fragile situation for Palestinians relying on the crossing for travel and trade.
