Accra, July 17, GNA – Israeli authorities have decided to open, without interruption, the Allenby/King Hussein border crossing, linking the West Bank and Jordan following a mediation by the Kingdom of Morocco, His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
The mediation, led by the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States of America, led to an agreement for the permanent 24/7 opening of the crossing, which is the only opening of the Palestinians to the world.
The opening of the border crossing, located about 50 km from the capital Amman, will be effective soon, from the moment the logistical conditions were met, especially in terms of human resources.
Additionally, the opening of the crossing, which is very popular with Palestinians, will have a beneficial impact on the daily lives of Palestinians and will facilitate the movement of people and goods.
The mediation is, once again, an eloquent testimony of the interest of His Majesty the King, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, in the Palestinian cause and the well-being of the Palestinians.
The Israeli Minister of Transportation, Merav Michaeli, took the opportunity of the announcement of the opening of the border crossing to thank HM King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, and the American President, Joe Biden, for their commitment and their continuous efforts for peace and prosperity in the Middle East.
According to haaretz.com, a senior U.S. administration official confirmed that Morocco was a major player in negotiating the 24-hour, seven-day-a-week opening of the Allenby Bridge border crossing, the first time an Abraham Accord member played that role
The confirmation of the move, which was announced by U.S. President Joe Biden during his stop in the West Bank on last Friday, signals the first instance in which an Arab country party to the Abraham Accords has used its might to mediate between Israelis and Palestinians to produce a significant policy change. The confirmation also comes amid news that Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi will visit Morocco next week.
The decision to open the Allenby Bridge crossing 24 hours a day, seven days a week is aimed at easing the Palestinian travel experience, as the crossing between the West Bank and Jordan allows Palestinians to travel abroad via the international airport there. It is set to go into effect by the end of September. A working group, meanwhile, will assess the use of biometric passports within the next month as well as the establishment of a Palestinian Authority presence at the crossing.
According to Israeli officials, Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli had been working with Moroccan officials alongside U.S. and Palestinian teams for the past several months to find a solution to keep the crossing open around the clock.
The website quoted the official saying, “While we worked on separate tracks, we were informed throughout the process of Morocco’s and Jordan’s efforts,” the U.S. official said.
“It was these collective efforts that made the difference,” the official continued, adding that “we are delighted to see the Abraham Accords working to the benefit of Palestinians, this has been a priority for the Biden administration.”
Michaeli publicly thanked Biden, as well as King Muhammad VI and the Kingdom of Morocco “for their continued commitment and efforts to promote peace and prosperity in the Middle East.”
The move was part of a series of measures Biden announced while visiting the West Bank, including a $316 million aid package among other initiatives aimed at improving Palestinians’ daily lives and reviving U.S.-Palestinian ties.
Source: Ghana News Agency
