Americans seeking to leave Israel by land are facing a narrowing window, with the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem warning that key border crossings into Jordan will shut to private vehicles for nearly two weeks beginning Monday, threatening to cut off one of the primary evacuation routes available to foreign nationals as wartime conditions continue to strangle air travel out of the country.

Between Monday, March 30, and Friday, April 10, travel by private vehicle to Jordan via the Jordan River and Rabin border crossings will not be permitted. The Embassy is urging travelers to expect extended wait times outside the terminals even in the days leading up to the closure, and to prepare accordingly.

The timing compounds an already difficult situation. Ben Gurion Airport has been reduced to a single departing flight per hour carrying no more than 50 passengers, a wartime limitation that has effectively transformed Israel’s main international gateway into a bottleneck. With air options severely constrained, land crossings into Jordan and Egypt have emerged as the fastest routes out of the country for foreign nationals.

The Embassy has been operating organized bus service from the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv areas to Queen Alia International Airport in Amman via the Jordan River Sheikh Hussein crossing, though it remains unclear how that service will be affected during the Pesach closure period. Americans who miss the window before March 30 may face a ten-day gap in overland options into Jordan.

The alternate land route — the Taba crossing into Egypt — remains open around the clock and is not subject to the Pesach restrictions. From Taba, travelers can connect by shared minibus or taxi to Sharm El-Sheikh, with onward overland transport to Cairo taking approximately eight to nine hours. The Embassy in Cairo recommends carrying at least $115 in cash per person to cover entry fees, visas, and a required Egyptian letter of guarantee, warning that ATMs at the crossing are unreliable.

The Embassy’s broader security posture remains on high alert. All U.S. government employees in Israel have been directed to shelter in place, with the same recommendation extended to American citizens. Residents are advised to stay away from windows, keep emergency supplies on hand, and download the IDF Home Front Command app for real-time missile and rocket alerts.

Americans seeking assistance can contact the State Department’s 24/7 task force at +1-202-501-4444 from abroad or +1-888-407-4747 from within the United States.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)