Israel to reopen West Bank crossing to Jordan to passenger traffic only

Current order keeps goods and aid trucks from crossing

Photo: Reuters

Israel will reopen the only crossing between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Jordan to passenger traffic only, starting Friday morning, the Israeli Airports Authority said on Thursday.

Israel shut the Allenby Crossing last Friday after a driver bringing humanitarian aid from Jordan for Gaza opened fire and killed two Israeli soldiers there. After briefly reopening it on Monday, Israel closed it indefinitely.

The gateway, also known as the Karama Crossing, serves as the main thoroughfare for West Bank Palestinians to travel abroad and is used by trucks carrying commercial goods between Jordan and the West Bank.

Trucks using the crossing also carry aid bound for Gaza, and these will not be able to get through under the current directive.

The UN says the crossing is a major route for bringing in food, tents and other goods into Gaza, and that its closure could have a significant impact on aid organisations ability to respond to the humanitarian crisis there.

The decision to partially reopen it was made in accordance with the "directive of the political echelon," Israel's airports authority said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will respond to countries including France, Britain, Canada and Australia's move to formally recognise a Palestinian state once he returns from his US visit that includes a meeting with President Donald Trump.

Some of Netanyahu's right-wing coalition allies have said the government should annex the West Bank in retaliation to Palestinian statehood recognition.