Israeli FM demands arrested Jordanian lawmaker ‘pay a price’

By TIA GOLDENBERG
Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s foreign minister has called on Jordan to bring to justice a Jordanian lawmaker who was arrested in Israel for allegedly trying to smuggle weapons into the occupied West Bank. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told the Israeli news outlet YNet Israel was still investigating the incident. and that the lawmaker must pay a price. Footage aired by Israeli media showed the alleged weapons smuggled arranged on a floor, with dozens of handguns and rifles displayed. The West Bank has seen a surge in violence over the past year. Israel says the area has been flooded with illegal weapons, including guns smuggled from neighboring Jordan. The lawmaker’s arrest threatened to further strain the ties between Israel and neighboring Jordan.