Allenby Bridge

Infobox Bridge
bridge_name= Allenby/King Hussein Bridge


caption=Allenby Bridge after being blown up by the Palmach in 1946
official_name= Allenby/King Hussein Bridge מסוף אלנבי
carries=Pedestrians
crosses=Jordan River
locale=flagicon|JOR Jordan flagicon|Israel flagicon|Palestinian Authority Jericho, West Bank
maint=Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Israel Airports Authority
id=
design=
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below=
traffic=2,900 pedestrians in 2005
begin=1918
complete=1968
open= 1994
closed=
toll=US $29.00 (Outbound Israel/Palestinian Authority)
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map_text=
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long=The Allenby Bridge ( _he. גשר אלנבי, "Gesher Allenby"), also known as the King Hussein Bridge ( _ar. جسر الملك حسين, "Jisr al-Malek Hussein"), is a bridge that crosses the Jordan River, and connects Jericho in the West Bank to the country of Jordan. It is currently the only exit point for West Bank Palestinians into Jordan.

The original bridge was built in 1918 over a remnant of an old Ottoman era bridge by the British general, Edmund Allenby. It was destroyed once in the Night of the bridges operation by Palmach at June 16, 1946. It was destroyed again during the Six-Day War, but was replaced in 1968 with a temporary truss-type bridge. This bridge is still called the Allenby Bridge by Israelis, although it is also known as Al-Karameh Bridge to Palestinians, and the King Hussein Bridge to Jordanians. In the late 1990s, and subsequent to the Israel-Jordan peace treaty, a new modern paved crossing was constructed adjacent to the older wooden one with the aid of the Japanese Government.Fact|date=June 2007 This new structure is currently used exclusively.

Israeli terminal

The West Bank side of the bridge is considered a border entry point by Israel and is controlled by Israeli authorities exclusively. The Jordanian authorities recognize the bridge as an international border entry point, but in contrast to other border crossings with Israel, do not grant entry visas to foreign passport holders at this crossing. Palestinians travelling abroad must use this bridge to exit the Palestinian territories into Jordan and then use the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman to fly abroad. Travel permits from both Israeli and Jordanian authorities are required, with varied stringency depending on the political situation.

Israeli citizens are not permitted to use the terminal. [http://www.iaa.gov.il/Rashat/en-US/Borders/Alenbi/AbouttheTerminal/TheMainUsesoftheTerminal/]

Jordanian terminal

The Jordanian side of the bridge has a branch of the Bank of Jordan for the exchange of monies. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Bank of Jordan פתח סניף בגשר אלנבי |url=http://www.port2port.co.il/Index.asp?ArticleID=63955&CategoryID=95 |format= |work= |publisher=Port2Port |location= |id= |pages= |page= |date=2008-07-24 |accessdate=2008-07-25 |language=Hebrew |quote= |archiveurl= |archivedate= ]

References

* [http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1149.html US Consular Information Sheet - Jordan]
* [http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1064.html US Consular Information Sheet - Israel, the West Bank and Gaza]
* [http://www.jordanriver.jo/articles/pdf.pdf Crossing the River Jordan (Jordan River Foundation)]

Footnotes

External links

;Official
* [http://www.iaa.gov.il/Rashat/en-US/Borders/Alenbi Allenby Border Terminal info]