Nassar Nassar: The number of passengers traveling via Al Karama will increase by 500 per day and the expected cancellation of the booking platform

Ramallah - Ofoq News - Secretary of the Coordinating Council for Private Sector Institutions and President of the General Federation of Palestinian Industries, Nassar Nassar, announced that tangible progress had been achieved in the Karama crossing file, which included lifting restrictions on the number of passengers and buses, increasing the number of passengers coming from Jordan to Palestine via the booking platform by an additional 500 passengers per day, and moving towards canceling the platform, in conjunction with extending working hours at the crossing.

Nassar said during a press conference held in Ramallah that the decision to lift restrictions on the number of passengers and buses came into effect this week, allowing travel within current working hours without setting a ceiling on the number of passengers or buses, after restrictions that lasted for three years, considering that this step would contribute to alleviating bottlenecks and facilitating the movement of citizens.

He explained that the working hours at the crossing were extended on Sundays and Thursdays, in addition to an additional two hours per day throughout the week, starting on October 4, 2026, for a total of ten additional hours per week, stressing that this step represents important progress but does not constitute the end of the road, as the Council continues to work towards the extension to reach 24-hour work.

He added that the number of passengers allowed to book through the King Hussein Bridge platform increased as of Wednesday by an additional 500 passengers per day, by decision of the Jordanian Minister of Interior, Mazen Al-Faraiah, following a meeting held by the Council with him, indicating that the current trend is to cancel the booking platform for travelers coming from Jordan to Palestine, in the event that the occupation authorities commit to continuing to lift restrictions, and in coordination with the Jordanian side, in a way that returns travel movement to what it was previously without the need for prior reservation.

Regarding the next stage, Nassar confirmed that the Council will continue its moves to extract additional working hours at the crossing before the end of the current year, and to restore work on Saturdays as it was more than three years ago, in addition to permanently establishing additional working hours, so that they become a right for travelers and not temporary measures subject to change.

He stressed the importance of continuing to follow up on the crossing file before the Supreme Occupation Court to ensure that the achievements achieved will not be undone, pointing out that the Council has worked since the beginning of the year to follow up the file until the court session on July 27, 2026, and then continued its contacts and meetings with the Airports Authority, the Jordanian Minister of Interior, and the concerned authorities to achieve practical steps to alleviate the suffering of travelers.

Nassar praised the efforts of Jordan, represented by the Minister of Interior, Mazen Al-Faraya, and his cooperation in following up on the crossing file, thanking the Jordanian King, the concerned authorities, and the media for their role in highlighting freedom of movement and citizens’ rights.

Regarding the commercial crossings file, he said that the commercial crossing was closed since the beginning of the war, before only ten trucks were later allowed to pass. He explained that efforts were focused on increasing the number of trucks, and that the obstacles that prevented their movement no longer existed, which requires preparation for the return of work, stressing that receiving commercial trucks and exporting them through the crossings is now open without restrictions.

He stressed that the private sector does not work in the political field, but rather seeks to provide an effort that helps the government and the Palestinian people, stressing that the Council is not a substitute for any party, and that any achievement achieved is an achievement for all.

He pointed out that the Council went to court against the coordinator of the activities of the occupation government and the tax authority regarding the Gaza crossing, and that the court took the file seriously, while the Israeli government requested an extension of the response period for two months and two weeks, stressing that there are attempts to separate the West Bank from the Gaza Strip, and that the Council insists on preserving the unity of the Palestinian territories and the Gaza market and participating in various files related to the Strip, including reconstruction.

Nassar concluded by emphasizing that the Council will continue to follow up on the crossing issue with the concerned authorities, and work to transform the current achievements into stable and sustainable steps, ensuring the facilitation of the movement of passengers and the preservation of their right to movement and travel in dignity.