Israel to close border crossing between West Bank and Jordan, officials say

Israel will close the Allenby border crossing between the West Bank and Jordan on Wednesday, the Palestinian General Authority for Borders and Crossings said in a statement on Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear why Israel was closing the only checkpoint between the two, but it is reportedly to remain shut until further notice.

A spokesperson for the Israeli authority overseeing the crossing confirmed it would be closed in both directions from Wednesday morning "at the direction of the political leadership" but gave no reason for the closure.

The Israel Airports Authority, which manages the crossing, said on Monday that it had reopened for passenger traffic days after a truck driver from Jordan killed two Israeli soldiers in a gun and knife attack.

Jordan's Public Security Directorate said the crossing, known in Jordan as the King Hussein Bridge, was closed to passenger and freight traffic coming from the Israeli-occupied West Bank until further notice.

The Allenby Crossing is the primary route for transporting commercial goods between Jordan and the West Bank, serving as the sole entry and exit point for Palestinians from the West Bank travelling by land.