Israel says it thwarted attempt to smuggle weapons from Jordan

Israeli authorities said that they had foiled an attempt last week to smuggle weapons from Jordan into the occupied Palestinian territories, according to reports in Israeli media.

Israel's Shin Bet security agency and the central command of the Israeli forces were conducting an investigation into a weapons smuggling operation that was thwarted in the northern part of the Jordan Valley, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.

The Israeli daily said that authorities did not reveal any further details regarding the operation, adding that thee Jordan Valley had become a "preferred route" for smuggling weapons and funds into the occupied West Bank.

Earlier this year, Jordanian MP Emad al-Adwan was detained by Israeli border police for allegedly smuggling hundreds of firearms and 100 kilos of gold into the West Bank.

Adwan was arrested on 22 April while using his diplomatic passport to cross the Israeli-controlled crossing from Jordan to the occupied Palestinian territory after Israeli border police allegedly found over 200 weapons and 100 kilos of gold in his car.

The incident kicked off a flurry of diplomatic activity between Jordan and Israel as the former sought the return of the Jordanian MP, seeking to avoid a public trial in Israel.

The Jordanian parliament voted to lift Adwan's parliamentary immunity on 7 May, shortly after Israel returned the MP to Jordan.

Following the incident however, Adwan has remained a popular figure within Jordan.