Palestinian security sources on Saturday said that the Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) last week prevented 31 West Bank Palestinians from travelling abroad via al-Karama crossing.
Palestinian police said in a press statement that the passengers were denied travel for “security reasons” which the IOA refused to reveal.
According to the police statement over 60000 passengers were able to pass through al-Karama crossing the only outlet connecting the West Bank with the outside world through Jordan in both directions.
Palestinian human rights groups said that Israel’s travel ban is part of political pressure practiced against the Palestinians and has nothing to do with any suspicious security activities.
They added that the ban involves preventing thousands of Palestinian patients living in the West Bank form entering Jerusalem including hundreds of elderly people over the age of 80.
Israel established al-Karama crossing (Allenby) in 1967 following its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip basically for the travel of West Bank Palestinians.
Another crossing was built for commercial purposes called Sheikh Hussein bridge but it later started to be used for the travel of Israelis foreign tourists and Palestinians of the 1948 occupied territories who have Israeli IDs.
