Netanyahu orders full reopening of Allenby Crossing after deadly attack

The crossing had been closed to cargo since September after a Jordanian truck driver transporting humanitarian aid to Gaza carried out a terror attack, killing two IDF soldiers.

By World Israel News Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday ordered the immediate and full reopening of the Allenby Crossing after his meeting with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz. The directive was relayed to Israel’s security establishment and enforcement agencies and includes a series of operational steps meant to enable the crossing to function at full capacity under heightened security.

The Allenby Bridge, known in Jordan as the King Hussein Bridge, spans the Jordan River between the Jericho area in Israel’s Jordan Valley and the Jordanian town of Al-Karameh. It is the primary land crossing for Palestinians traveling abroad and the main commercial gateway for goods moving from Jordan and the Jordan Valley to Gaza.

The crossing had been closed to cargo since September after a Jordanian truck driver transporting humanitarian aid to Gaza carried out a deadly terror attack, killing two IDF soldiers. The terrorist, identified by Jordanian authorities as 57-year-old Abd al-Mutalib al-Qaisi, opened fire upon arrival and then carried out a stabbing before being shot dead by Israeli security forces. According to security sources, the truck had not yet undergone its required inspection when the assault began. The crossing reopened days later for pedestrian traffic only.

A senior Israeli security official said that new procedures have now been put in place: “Security screening and profiling protocols for Jordanian drivers and incoming cargo have been tightened, and dedicated security forces have been assigned to protect the crossing.”

The reopening comes as Israel seeks to balance regional coordination with strict security needs. After the September attack, Defense Minister Eyal Zamir called for halting humanitarian shipments from Jordan until the investigation was complete and screening procedures were revised.

Jordan condemned the attack as a “fatal double stabbing” but warned that disruptions at the crossing could affect its ability to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza. Amman also reiterated its political stance, accusing Israel of “aggression in the Gaza Strip” and pressing for a permanent ceasefire.

Under the new directive, the Allenby Crossing is expected to reopen immediately for the transfer of goods from Jordan into Israel’s Jordan Valley and Gaza, operating with enhanced security controls designed to prevent further incidents.