JERUSALEM, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Airports Authority (IAA) said Thursday it will partially reopen the main crossing between the occupied West Bank and Jordan for passenger traffic only, starting Friday morning.
The crossing, known in Israel as the Allenby Bridge and in Jordan as the Karama Bridge, is the principal gateway for Palestinians from the West Bank to travel abroad. It is also a key trade route for trucks transporting goods between Jordan and the West Bank.
The terminal would "be reopened only for passenger traffic," starting Friday morning, an IAA spokesperson said in a statement, adding it will operate during the terminal's regular working hours.
Trucks carrying aid to Gaza will not be able to pass under the new directive.
On Sept. 18, a gunman, driving a humanitarian aid truck from Jordan to the crossing, which is jointly operated by Israel and Jordan, opened fire at the crossing and killed two Israelis before being shot dead. A day later, Israeli authorities closed the crossing. It was then briefly reopened on Monday, until Israeli authorities announced on Tuesday that it would be closed indefinitely.
The closure, which Israeli Army Radio said could be Israel's response to the recent recognition of the State of Palestine by several Western countries, was condemned on Wednesday by the Palestinian Foreign Ministry as a policy of "collective punishment." ■
