RAMALLAH, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned Israel's closure of the Karama Bridge, known in Israel as the Allenby Bridge, the only land crossing between the occupied West Bank and Jordan, calling it a policy of "collective punishment."
In a statement, the ministry said the closure would cause severe humanitarian and economic harm and described it as "an integral part of the crime of gradual annexation of the West Bank and its transformation into a large prison closed off in all directions by a tight siege imposed by the occupation." It accused Israel of seeking to escalate tensions in the occupied territory and urged the international community to intervene immediately.
Nazmi Mohanna, head of the Palestinian Crossings and Borders Authority, said Israel had notified the authority on Tuesday that the closure would take effect from Wednesday and remain in place "until further notice, in both directions."
The announcement came one day after Israeli authorities reopened the crossing following a four-day shutdown triggered by an armed attack that killed two Israelis. The Israeli military said the assailant, driving a humanitarian aid truck from Jordan, was shot dead at the scene.
Israel has not officially commented on the latest closure. Israeli Army Radio reported that it could be an initial response to the recent recognition of the State of Palestine by several Western countries. ■
