Israel has arrested Jordanian MP Imad Odwan for allegedly trying to smuggle weapons and gold into the occupied West Bank.
Israeli media published the photo of weapons
Reports circulated on social media said that Israeli authorities foiled an attempt to smuggle the items at the King Hussein Bridge (Allenby) border crossing.
The reports claimed that the items were found in a car which belonged to the Jordanian lawmaker.
An official source told Arab News on Sunday that the Jordanian government was notified about the arrest of the politician.
Israeli media published this photo claiming these guns were seized during the arrest of the Jordanian MP. (Photo courtesy: Times of Israel)
Media spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Sinan Al-Majali said the ministry was following up on the incident.
Jordanian MP Andre Hawari hailed his colleague as a “hero,” saying he was sending weapons to the “Palestinian resistance.”
Members of the politician’s tribe were reported to have marched towards the bridge to express solidarity with Odwan.
Jordanian lawmakers issued statements on Sunday, urging the government to “swiftly” work on bringing their colleague home.
Odwan, 34 from the city of Salt, is a lawyer, holds a Master’s degree in international law, and is a member of the Palestine Committee in the Jordanian Parliament.
He is considered one of the young deputies in the Jordanian parliament, and has many political stances opposing the government.
The Jordanian Parliament’s Lower House has voted to expel Israel’s ambassador in Amman in protest over Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s reference to a map of Israel that included the occupied West Bank, Gaza, and Jordan.
During a speech in Paris on Sunday, Smotrich claimed the notion of a Palestinian people was artificial.
He said: “There is no such thing as a Palestinian nation. There is no Palestinian history. There is no Palestinian language.”
The minister was speaking at a memorial event for a French Israeli right-wing activist who had denied the existence of a Palestinian nation and advocated annexation of the West Bank.
During the Jordan Parliament session on Wednesday, MPs described Smotrich’s words as reflecting “an Israeli arrogance and disrespect of international treaties and conventions,” the Jordan News Agency reported.
Lower House speaker, Ahmed Safadi, called on Jordan’s government to take proactive measures against Smotrich’s statements and behavior.
