By Taghreed Saadeh
Israeli occupation authorities closed the Karameh Crossing, east of the West Bank, on Thursday evening, halting passenger movement after a shooting near the area.
Palestinian local sources reported that Israeli forces prevented buses carrying travelers from Jordan into the West Bank from reaching the Palestinian side and tightened military measures in the area.
Hebrew media claimed that a shooting had taken place near the crossing, resulting in two deaths.
The sources added that Israeli forces sealed the entrances to Jericho city, west of the crossing, in both directions and obstructed the movement of Palestinian vehicles.
In an initial response from the Jordanian government, Minister of Government Communications and official spokesperson Mohammad Al-Momani stated, “We are following up on reports of a security incident on the other side of the Karameh Crossing.”
He added in a post on the platform X, “Our concerned authorities are monitoring the situation, and we will announce any details once available.”
Israeli media reported that two people were killed in the shooting at the Allenby Bridge (the Israeli name for the crossing) on the border with Jordan, without disclosing their identities. Israeli emergency services said the two victims were aged 60 and 20.
According to Israeli Army Radio, the attacker was a retired Jordanian soldier who drove a truck and carried out the shooting at point-blank range before stabbing, after which he was killed.
Channel 12 reported that the attacker infiltrated the area in a truck carrying aid from Jordan, showing images of a knife and a blood-stained rifle lying on the ground.
Following the attack, Israeli occupation authorities completely closed the crossing and declared a state of alert in the border area.
The Israeli army confirmed that forces from the Jordan Valley and Samaria Brigades were conducting searches and encircling Jericho city near the crossing.
More to add, in September 2024, the crossing witnessed a similar incident when a Jordanian truck driver killed three Israeli security who were inspecting trucks on the bridge, which is under full Israeli control. That attack led to the closure of the crossing for two days.
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