Jordan says crowding at Allenby crossing 'unprecedented,' Israel to blame

Long lines and delays plague crush of travelers looking to cross to and from West Bank, days after White House and Israel pledged to keep bridge open 24/7 by September

SOUTH SHOUNEH, Jordan — The Allenby crossing between Jordan and the West Bank is facing “unprecedented” traveler numbers, a Jordanian official said Tuesday, blaming Israeli authorities for overcrowding at the border.

There are a number of official crossings between Israel and Jordan, which signed a peace treaty in 1994. Palestinians can only use the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge Crossing with the West Bank.

“What is happening now is an unprecedented rise in the number of travelers compared to previous years,” the head of bridge security, Jordanian Col. Raafat Maaytah, told AFP on Tuesday.

In the waiting hall inside the King Hussein Bridge building, where verification and passport procedures are handled, about 350 passengers were seen waiting their turn to board buses to cross to the other side.

Maaytah there had been an increase in travelers with the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, the recent Muslim hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia and the feast of Eid al-Adha.

As the travel season has ramped up within Israel, the understaffed Ben Gurion Airport has also seen unprecedented crowding, delays, long lines and general chaos.

Maaytah said the number of passengers seeking to cross from Jordan was “around 6,000-7,000” daily, adding that the Israeli authorities were only allowing entry for around “4,000-4,500” passengers, leaving some stranded.

Currently, the crossing is open 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. during the week and 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the weekends.

Colonel Rafat Maaytah, director of the Allenby Bridge crossing, speaks to the press at his office on July 19, 2022. (Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP)

Israel, the Palestinians and Washington announced during US President Joe Biden’s visit to the region last week that the United States would provide assistance to enable the crossing to stay open 24 hours a day, after Moroccan mediation on the issue.

Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli said last week that the measure “is expected to come into force once the logistical arrangements have been made, including recruiting the personnel needed to extend the opening hours.” The White House said in a statement that Israel agreed to complete the extension of opening hours by September 30.

Passengers sit in a waiting room on the Jordanian side of the Allenby Bridge crossing between the West Bank and Jordan on July 19, 2022. (Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP)

According to the Jordanian authorities, the King Hussein Bridge has received more than one million travelers since the beginning of the year.

The crossing is almost exclusively used by Palestinians, who have a much more difficult time receiving permits to fly out of Ben Gurion Airport. As a result, most fly in and out of Amman and then are forced to pay a series of extra fees in addition to often waiting several hours to get through the border.