This marks a first since October 7: On Sunday, September 8, a Jordanian national carried out an attack against Israeli security guards at the Allenby crossing – which spans the Jordan River. This border crossing, under Israeli control, is crucial for Palestinians in the West Bank as it is their sole connection to Jordan and, by extension, their only gateway to the rest of the world.
Early on Sunday, a man by the name of Maher Al-Jazi approached the Israeli side of the Allenby crossing. Having passed through Jordanian controls, he arrived in a truck. Upon parking in the queue for Israeli checks, he exited the vehicle and opened fire with a handgun, seriously wounding three Israeli guards. The victims, including a 65-year-old, later died from their injuries. The gunman was also killed in the incident. According to the Jordanian news agency Petra, Al-Jazi was a driver assigned to deliver goods to the West Bank. Following the attack, the Allenby crossing was immediately closed
Hamas and Islamic Jihad issued statements expressing support for the attack, though neither group claimed responsibility. Hamas described the assault as a "natural response" to the war in Gaza, but also as a consequence of "Israeli plans to move and Judaize the Al Aqsa mosque".
Their claim refers to the ongoing Jewish prayers conducted on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which is Islam's third holiest site. Despite the fact that the status quo established since Israel's capture of the Old City in 1967 prohibits such activities, these prayers continue to occur.
On August 13, several hundred Israelis participated in a prayer at this highly sensitive site, at the initiative of Israel's Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right settler, who is accustomed to this kind of provocation. While such actions have the potential to inflame tensions, there was a notable restraint in both the West Bank and East Jerusalem, with no protests reported.
The Jordanian Ministry of the Interior announced on Sunday evening that its preliminary investigation identified the suspected attacker as originating from the south of the kingdom, a marginalized and restive region. The Ministry stated that the attack appeared to be an isolated incident.
"Investigations are still underway, but I think it's important to note two things. Firstly, the perpetrator was not a Palestinian. Secondly, he does not appear to be directly affiliated [with any of the armed movements operating against Israel]. So he's more of a lone wolf, operating autonomously. I think we can expect others to follow in his footsteps," said Shalom Ben Hanan, a former member of the Shin Bet, Israel's domestic intelligence service, now a researcher at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism at Reichman University, north of Tel Aviv.
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