JORDAN EXTENDS HOURS OF ISRAEL AND WEST BANK CROSSINGS

UNCLAS AMMAN 001787 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/IPA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ECON ETRD KPAL KWBG JO IS SUBJECT: JORDAN EXTENDS HOURS OF ISRAEL AND WEST BANK CROSSINGS ¶1. (SBU) Recent press reports touting round-the-clock opening of the main West Bank crossing to Jordan for the benefit of Palestinian commerce are exaggerated. According to Post contacts, Israel made the announcement without full coordination with the GOJ. Jordan has nevertheless taken action and Post has confirmed that the opening hours of the Jordanian terminal at the crossing between the West Bank and Jordan through the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge have been extended, for what may be a trial period only, by four hours on weekdays, i.e. Sunday through Thursday. The opening times of the other two border crossings with Israel, Sheikh Hussein in the north and Wadi Araba near Aqaba, remain unchanged. ¶2. (U) Representatives from each of Jordan's three border crossing terminals with Israel or the West Bank told Embassy staff that their hours of operations are as follows: King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge Sunday - Thursday 0800 - 2400 for both passengers and cargo Friday - Saturday 0800 - 1200 for passengers 0800 - 1500 for diplomats No cargo Sheikh Hussein Bridge (in the north) Sunday - Thursday 0630 - 2100 for passengers 0800 - 1830 for cargo Friday - Saturday 0800 - 2000 for passengers No cargo Wadi Araba Crossing (between Aqaba and Eilat) Sunday - Thursday 0630 - 2000 for passengers No cargo Friday - Saturday 0800 - 2000 for passengers No cargo ¶3. (SBU) Comment: The public announcements of new border crossing times at King Hussein Bridge were not closely coordinated with the GOJ. It is also too early to judge whether the new times will address the delays caused by the bureaucracy at the border which can take several hours on the Israeli side. End comment. Visit Amman's Classified Website at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman MANDEL