The Border as a Theater of Control
The receipts speak for themselves: THE CLAIM: The New Arab article claims Israel 'ritualizes the humiliation' of Palestinians at the Karama crossing, weaponizing their only exit from the West Bank via Jordan. THE EVIDENCE: The Karama crossing, also known as Allenby Bridge or King Hussein Bridge, serves as the primary and often sole international gateway for Palestinians from the West Bank. Control
over an occupied population's movement is a defining characteristic of military occupation under international law, specifically Article 43 of the 1907 Hague Regulations and Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention regarding protected persons. The operational procedures at Karama, which include arbitrary delays, meticulous searches, and restrictions on goods, are consistently documented by human
rights organizations like B'Tselem (2023) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA 2022). OCHA data shows that in 2022, crossings at Allenby were subject to unpredictable closures and significant processing times, impacting travel for thousands. THE CONTRADICTIONS: While described as a 'border crossing,' Karama operates under complex, often contradictory regulations.
Israeli authorities control access to and from the West Bank, while Jordanian authorities manage their side. For example, Palestinians are often subjected to different security protocols than Israeli citizens or foreign nationals, creating de facto discrimination based on identity documents. This stands in stark contrast to international travel norms, where a single, unified protocol typically