LONDON: An Israeli workers’ strike on the Allenby Bridge since Thursday has disrupted the travel plans of thousands of Palestinians who use the bridge crossing to travel abroad through Jordan or return to the occupied West Bank.
It is located in the Jordan Valley and is officially known by two other names, the Karameh crossing in Palestine and the King Hussein crossing in Jordan. Since late 2023, the daily number of travelers crossing the border point has averaged between 4,000 and 6,000.
The Palestinian General Authority for Borders and Crossings on Sunday urged travelers to postpone their journeys and avoid heading to the crossing until an official announcement confirming the resumption of operations is made, according to the Palestine News Agency.
The strikes are taking place during the peak summer season when thousands of Palestinian families and expat workers travel back and forth to the West Bank to spend their holidays.
They have resulted in a reduction of buses entering Jordan by at least 50 percent since Thursday, according to Jordanian authorities.
The crossing is the only international gateway for 3 million people to access the outside world, as Israel forbids Palestinians, who hold Palestinian Authority identity cards, from using Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.
The crossing is also essential for patients seeking medical treatment abroad and for students. It was shut for several days in September after a shooting attack on Israeli guards.
