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, said it would be closed indefinitely from Wednesday morning 'at the direction of the political leadership.' It did not provide a reason. The closure has stranded many Palestinians in the West Bank, who are unable to go on planned trips abroad. Those who are abroad have been unable to travel home. It comes days after two Israeli military personnel were shot dead near the crossing by a Jordanian gunman, who was killed at the scene. The crossing, also known as the King Hussein Bridge, lies about halfway between Amman and Jerusalem and is the only official crossing point between the West Bank and Jordan. Most Palestinians in the West Bank are not allowed to travel through Israeli airports or other Israeli border crossings, meaning the bridge is an essential connection to the outside world.

Prominent Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti told the BBC it was a 'dangerous move' that meant 'imprisoning' people in the West Bank and 'depriving them from the only passage out.'

Thousands of people are stuck in Jordan without resources to pay for hotels, while mothers in the West Bank are cut off from their children. The indefinite closure coincides with heightened tensions and reactions to international recognition of the State of Palestine. Jordan is home to over two million registered Palestinian refugees, and the bridge represents not only personal connections but also a vital trade route for goods and medical supplies to enter the West Bank.

This significant closure of the Allenby Bridge comes after increasing restrictions and military operations by Israel in the West Bank, reflecting growing insecurity and conflict in the region.