Since the destruction of Gaza International Airport by Israeli occupation forces (IOF) in 2001 and Israel’s continued prevention of the establishment or operation of any Palestinian airport in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt),1 Palestinians have been deprived of a national air gateway through which they can independently travel abroad. At the same time, Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are not permitted to use Israeli airports for international travel, except a small minority of special airport “permit” holders.
Consequently, Al-Karama (Allenby/King Hussein) Crossing has become the only possible international gateway for Palestinians in the West Bank, which more than 3 million Palestinians depend on to access the outside world through Jordan.
Consequently, this structure means that any restriction affecting the Crossing operation or accessibility directly impacts Palestinians’ ability to leave and re-enter the oPt and engages the full spectrum of rights associated with freedom of movement under Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Although the Al-Karama (Allenby/King Hussein) Crossing physically connects the occupied West Bank with Jordan, Israel, as the occupying power, exercises effective control over key operational aspects of the movement regime governing the Crossing, including the regulation of passenger flow, security procedures, operational capacity, opening hours, and movement
restrictions. This control effectively determines who may exit or enter the oPt and under what conditions, thereby shaping the exercise of freedom of movement in a manner that is structurally dependent on Israeli administrative and security decisions.