Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — Israel has facilitated the flow of traffic from Jordan.

The Israeli Defense Ministry has introduced measures to expand the flow of travelers from Jordan to the West Bank.

The ministry said this would include longer working hours at the Allenby Bridge, the border with Jordan.

“The crossing is the exit gate of the Palestinian population on their way abroad, and also functions as a goods crossing between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to Jordan,” the Defense Ministry said.

Officials said the expansion was meant to accommodate the estimated 4,000 Palestinian pilgrims from Saudi Arabia. They said the Israeli move would bolster PA, responsible for most Arab areas in the West Bank.

The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved the construction of a facility for X-ray inspection of cargo at Allenby. Officials said the facility would increase Palestinian exports to the Arab world by 30 percent.

“It was determined that in order to simplify trade and cooperation with
the Palestinians, it was necessary to build a full inspection facility
similar to that which exists near the port of Haifa, including, inter alia,
access, an appropriate building to protect the system and workers from
radiation, and a building for manual inspections, all according to
international standards,” the Israeli Regional Cooperation Ministry said.

  Allenby Bridge, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel eases traffic flow at the Allenby Bridge, Israeli Defense Ministry, through which Palestinians access the world