RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Palestinian and Jordanian authorities said Israel was indefinitely closing the only crossing between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Jordan from Wednesday.

There was no immediate confirmation from Israeli officials on Tuesday, which is a public holiday.

“The chairman of the Palestinian General Authority for Crossings and Borders, Mr. Nazmi Muhanna, announced that the Israeli side has informed us of the closure of the Al-Karama crossing starting tomorrow, Wednesday... until further notice, in both directions,” a statement from the Palestinian borders authority said, referring to the Allenby crossing.

The crossing in the Jordan Valley is the only international gateway for Palestinians from the West Bank that does not require entering Israel, which has occupied the territory since 1967.

The Jordanian Public Security Directorate also announced the closure of the crossing, which is also known as the King Hussein Bridge, saying it was being shut “to passenger and cargo traffic by the other side until further notice.”

The crossing has been largely closed since a Jordanian truck driver shot dead an Israeli soldier and a reserve officer at the border last week.

The announcement comes hours after France joined a flurry of Western countries in formally recognizing a Palestinian state, drawing sharp rebuke from Israel.