Israel shuts Allenby Crossing with Jordan, stranding Palestinians ‘until further notice’

Dubai: Israel said on Tuesday it will close the Allenby Crossing — the only gateway between the West Bank and Jordan not requiring passage through Israel — from Wednesday “until further notice,” stranding thousands of Palestinians who rely on it as their only exit route.

The closure follows a deadly attack last week in which a Jordanian truck driver hired to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza killed two Israeli soldiers at the crossing in a stabbing and shooting assault. The crossing has since operated intermittently, but aid trucks bound for Gaza have remained blocked.

The Israel Airports Authority, which oversees the crossing, said the move came at the direction of the political leadership, according to media reports. Palestinian and Jordanian officials confirmed the decision, calling it an indefinite shutdown.

“The Israeli side has informed us of the closure of the Al Karama crossing starting tomorrow, Wednesday, until further notice, in both directions,” said Nazmi Muhanna, head of the Palestinian General Authority for Crossings and Borders, in a statement.

The Jordanian Public Security Directorate also confirmed the closure of the crossing — known in Jordan as the King Hussein Bridge — saying it was being shut to both passengers and cargo “until further notice.”

The Allenby Crossing, located in the Jordan Valley, has been the only international outlet for Palestinians in the West Bank since Israel occupied the territory in 1967.

Its closure effectively traps West Bank residents inside, heightening fears of further restrictions amid the Gaza war.

The decision also coincides with mounting diplomatic pressure on Israel, as France on Tuesday joined a string of Western nations, including the UK, Canada and Australia, in formally recognizing a Palestinian state. Israel reacted angrily, calling the move a “reward for terror,” while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed there will “never be” a Palestinian state.

The indefinite closure of the crossing underscores Israel’s hardening posture as the conflict grinds on, cutting off a vital lifeline for Palestinians at a moment of escalating diplomatic isolation.