Israel to open Jordan Valley crossing 24/7 as of next month — envoy

Monday working hours at King Hussein Bridge altered for Palestinians

Travelers crossing King Hussein Bridge in this undated file photo. (Photo: Flickr)
Travelers crossing King Hussein Bridge in this undated file photo. (Photo: Flickr)
AMMAN — The General Administration of Palestinian Borders and Crossings said it will change the working hours at King Hussein Bridge on October 3, according to a local news outlet.اضافة اعلان

According to a statement the administration issued on Tuesday, the crossing will be open for travelers for 24 hours, from Monday morning, October 3, until Tuesday morning October 4; the last bus will leave at 9am.

However, on Wednesday, October 5, the crossing will be completely closed due to a Jewish holiday. Work will resume as usual on Thursday, October 6, from 8am to 8pm, in both directions.

The administration said that the change is only valid for Palestinian nationality holders; for foreigners and those resorting to the VIP service, on Monday the crossing will be open until 9pm.

The administration urged travelers to adjust their travel hours according to the opening hours to avoid overcrowding.

Meanwhile, following pressure from the White House and President Joe Biden’s July visit, US ambassador to Israel Tom Nides announced Wednesday that the Jordan Valley crossing (what Israel calls Allenby Bridge) between the West Bank and Jordan is slated to open 24 hours a day for Palestinian travel on October 24, Israel media reported.

“It’s worth the investment to get to 24/7 access,” Nides tweeted adding that this “will make a real difference in people’s lives!”

Israel had promised US President Joe Biden in July that it would increase the crossing’s hours. The passageway is the main artery through which West Bank Palestinians travel abroad, getting from that transit point to the airport in Amman if they wish to travel.

The opening had initially been scheduled for October 1, but was delayed due to the Jewish holidays.

Israel had also pledged to upgrade wireless connectivity for Palestinians during Biden’s July visit, The Jerusalem Post reported, with Nides saying that they reached an agreement to provide the infrastructure that the Palestinians need to get to 4G and 5G.


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