Jordan's Jaber Border Crossing with Syria Reopens for Cargo Traffic

Jordanian border crossing, Jaber is seen in the city of Mafraq, Jordan July 7, 2018. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed
Jordanian border crossing, Jaber is seen in the city of Mafraq, Jordan July 7, 2018. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed
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Jordan's Jaber Border Crossing with Syria Reopens for Cargo Traffic

Jordanian border crossing, Jaber is seen in the city of Mafraq, Jordan July 7, 2018. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed
Jordanian border crossing, Jaber is seen in the city of Mafraq, Jordan July 7, 2018. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

Jordan's Jaber Border Crossing with Syria reopened for cargo movement Wednesday, after its temporary closure over security issues on the Syrian side.

President of the Association of Owners of Clearance and Transport Companies Daif Allah Abu Aqouleh said that back-to-back shipment is being applied for Syria and Lebanon imports, as well as Jordanian exports, until further notice.

He announced the official approval of resuming cargo movement from and to Jaber Border Crossing.

On Saturday, Jordan temporarily closed the border crossing for passengers and goods due to the security developments in south Syria, in addition to violent clashes that killed 28 on Thursday.

Amman announced Wednesday that it will resume operations at the crossing as of Sunday, after one year of limited operations due to the COVID pandemic.

Jaber Border Crossing is the main crossing between Jordan and Syria and is a key economic driver through which Jordanian goods pass to Turkey, Lebanon, and Europe.

It was closed in mid-2015 as a result of the Syrian conflict, causing grave damage to the Kingdom with whom trade reached $615 million in 2010.

The crossing was reopened in October 2018, and trade between the two countries hit $108.7 million in 2020.



Palestinian President Abbas Appoints New Deputy in Major Step in Naming Successor

Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, gestures during an interview with The Associate Press at his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, June 13, 2022. (AP)
Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, gestures during an interview with The Associate Press at his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, June 13, 2022. (AP)
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Palestinian President Abbas Appoints New Deputy in Major Step in Naming Successor

Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, gestures during an interview with The Associate Press at his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, June 13, 2022. (AP)
Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, gestures during an interview with The Associate Press at his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, June 13, 2022. (AP)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday named a veteran aide and confidant as his new vice president. It’s a major step by the aging leader to designate a successor.

The appointment of Hussein al-Sheikh as vice president of the Palestine Liberation Organization does not guarantee he will be the next Palestinian president. But it makes him the front-runner among longtime politicians in the dominant Fatah party who hope to succeed the 89-year-old Abbas.

Abbas hopes to play a major role in postwar Gaza. He has been under pressure from Western and Arab allies to rehabilitate the Palestinian Authority, which has limited autonomy in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.  

The PLO is the internationally recognized representative of the Palestinian people and oversees the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. Abbas has led both entities for two decades.