Israel Closes Allenby Bridge Crossing, Stranding Palestinians in West Bank

Mon Dec 15 2025 21:58:22 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The only international crossing between the West Bank and Jordan has been shut down, leaving over two million Palestinians unable to access the outside world.

Israel has indefinitely closed the Allenby Bridge crossing, the sole gateway between the West Bank and Jordan, affecting travel for over two million Palestinians. The closure follows increased tensions and a recent incident that led to heightened Israeli control in the region. Palestinians are voicing concerns over the implications of the closure on their ability to connect with family abroad and access vital resources.

Israel has closed the only crossing between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and neighbouring Jordan, stopping more than two million Palestinians from accessing the outside world.

The Israeli airports authority, which oversees the Allenby Bridge crossing, announced the indefinite closure, initiated under the direction of political leadership, without providing further details.

This closure has left many Palestinians stranded, unable to embark on pre-planned trips abroad, while those abroad face difficulties returning home.

The decision follows the recent deaths of two Israeli military personnel near the crossing, shot by a Jordanian gunman who was subsequently killed at the scene. After this incident, the crossing was closed temporarily but had reopened before this latest announcement.

Known also as the King Hussein Bridge, the crossing is situated approximately halfway between Amman and Jerusalem, serving as the only point of official access between the West Bank and Jordan, bypassing Israeli control.

Most Palestinians in the West Bank lack permission to travel through Israeli airports or other border crossings, making the Allenby Bridge a critical link to the international community.

Prominent Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti described the closure as a dangerous move that effectively “imprisons” people in the West Bank, depriving them of their only passage out. He pointed out the disruption of family connections and the hardship experienced by those unable to return to their homes.

A Palestinian medical student, Maxim Giacaman, expressed his distress over missing an important medical placement in Germany due to the closure, stating that the situation is utterly miserable.

The Allenby crossing is integral for the transport of goods and medical supplies into the West Bank, with reports indicating that it facilitates about 9% of humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza.

Palestinians worry that this closure is part of a broader Israeli strategy in response to recent global recognitions of Palestinian statehood by countries such as the UK, France, and Australia. Israeli officials have condemned these recognitions, labeling them as rewards for terrorism.

Since the recent uptick in violence sparked by the Hamas-led attacks that killed a significant number of Israelis, Israel has tightened its grip on the West Bank, with new checkpoints and increased military operations against Palestinian groups.

The Allenby Bridge, named after British general Edmund Allenby, has been under Israeli control since the 1967 Six-Day War, and although it has faced periodic closures for security reasons in the past, an indefinite closure has raised substantial concerns among Palestinian communities reliant on this crossing.