Jordanian MP arrested by Israel on suspicion of smuggling weapons

Tel Aviv [Israel], April 24 : A Jordan MP was arrested at the Allenby Crossing between Jordan and Israel by Israel Police, according to a news report on the Jordan channel Al-Mamlaka, citing the Jordan Foreign Ministry.

According to the report, police arrested the man suspected of trying to smuggle gold and weapons.

The customs officers, who are not supposed to inspect members of parliament, reportedly received intelligence information regarding the minister, who the Jordan Ministry identified as MP Imad Al-Adwan, and carried out an inspection as a result.

During the inspection, they reportedly uncovered evidence of an attempt to smuggle 100 kg. of gold, 12 long weapons, 12 ZIG pistols and 167 Glock pistols into Israel.

Jordan MP Khalil Atieh called on the Israeli authorities to release him "immediately", according to Maariv.

Amman's Foreign Ministry confirmed that a Jordan lawmaker was arrested by Israel on Saturday night after being caught smuggling hundreds of weapons and massive amounts of gold into Israel.

The lawmaker, identified as Imad Al-Adwan, was said to have been arrested crossing the Allenby Bridge border crossing, located approximately five kilometres east of the Palestinian Authority-administered city of Jericho, Jordan media reported Sunday.

According to the Jordan ministry's spokesman, officials were following the case "to find out the merits of the situation and address it as soon as possible."

Adwan is on record for praising the Hamas terrorist group and calling for "resistance" against the "Zionist enemy," World Israel News reported.

While Israel's Foreign Ministry declined comment, Kan News reported that Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi would not answer calls from his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen regarding the incident.

There has been a surge in violence over the past year. Israel says the Palestinian areas of Judea and Samaria have been flooded with illegal weapons, including guns smuggled from neighbouring Jordan.

The latest incident threatens to further strain tense relations between Jordan and the Jewish state.

According to Israeli media outlet Maariv, Jordan MP Khalil Atieh has demanded Al-Adwan's immediate release.

Earlier this month, King Abdullah II told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that "every Muslim" should deter "Israeli escalations" in Jerusalem.

Jordan controlled Judea and Samaria and eastern Jerusalem between 1948 - when the Kingdom and other surrounding Arab countries attacked the fledgling Jewish state - until the 1967 Six-Day War, when Israel, in a war of defence, regained the territories. Jordan, however, retained custodianship of the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount.

Jordan and Israel have maintained a cold peace, including security collaboration, since signing an agreement in 1994.