Al-Karamah Crossing.. The Gateway of the Palestinians of the West Bank to the World is Closed

The West Bank has turned into a large prison as of Sunday, after the Israeli authorities announced the closure of the Allenby (Karameh) crossing with Jordan until further notice, against the backdrop of a shooting incident carried out by a Jordanian, during which he killed 3 Israelis before being shot and killed.

On Monday, the Israeli authorities announced that the bridge would remain closed for the second day in a row until further notice.

The side where the operation took place is called the "Allenby Crossing" according to the Israeli name, and it is the border crossing located on the Jordanian side "called King Hussein Bridge", and the Palestinian side calls it the "Karameh Crossing".

If either the Jordanian or Israeli bridges are disrupted, the movement of people and goods to and from the West Bank to Jordan and vice versa will not take place.

No travel

Data from the Palestinian General Administration of Borders and Crossings shows that the number of travelers annually between the West Bank and Jordan is more than 3 million travelers, according to data for the year 2023.

Also, West Bank Palestinians will not be able to travel abroad, as Jordan and Queen Alia International Airport are the Palestinians’ gateway to the world, as they are prevented from exiting across international borders except through the Karameh crossing.

Prior to the events of October 7, 2023, some Palestinians were able to travel abroad via Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv by issuing travel permits, before their travel through it was stopped.

A segment of Palestinian workers in Israel, who have stopped entering the Green Line areas since October 7, 2023, have also found travel to Jordan a way to generate financial returns.

This is represented by the presence of hundreds of travelers daily from the Palestinian side to the Jordanian side, and the purchase of some goods with lower prices on the Jordanian side and selling them in the markets of the West Bank, such as cigarettes and tobacco, some types of cheese and cosmetics.

These so-called "suitcase traders" who used to travel daily from the West Bank to Jordan and back on the same day, have been out of work for the second day in a row due to the closure of the bridges until further notice.

No trade

Since Sunday, the movement of goods trade between the Jordanian and Palestinian sides has come to a complete halt, due to the closure of the Allenby Bridge, especially imports of cement and some building materials.

According to data from Sand Construction Resources Company, more than 20 percent of the cement consumed in the Palestinian market arrives from the Jordanian side via the Allenby Bridge.

Also, the movement of goods from the Palestinian side to Jordan has stopped, as stone and marble are the main exports, in addition to some types of agricultural crops and some food products.

Palestinians also import from Jordan some types of food supplies, canned goods, sanitary ware, some agricultural goods, and soft drinks.

As of Sunday morning, the Karameh crossing was closed to travelers and those coming to and from Palestine, after 3 Israelis were killed in a shooting attack between two Jordanian and Israeli crossing points.

According to video clips that spread on social media platforms, the incident occurred in the commercial area designated for transporting goods from Jordan to Palestine and vice versa, which is an area under Israeli control.

The commercial area is designated for trucks loaded with goods, or those that have unloaded their cargo, where drivers line up to arrange papers and procedures for their exit from Jordan or their return to the Kingdom, with the Israeli crossing employees.

According to data from the Palestinian Ministry of Economy, the average annual trade exchange between Palestine and Jordan is approximately $380 million, most of which takes place through the land crossing where the operation took place.

Source: Anadolu Agency