Jordan’s envoy warned Israel weeks ago crisis would erupt over arrests

Jordan‘s ambassador Ghassan Majali warned Foreign Ministry officials from the day that two Jordanian citizens were placed in administrative detention some two months ago that the issue could lead to a diplomatic crisis.

His warning was passed on to the relevant authorities in Israel who have made the decision to keep the two – Hiba Labadi and Abdul Rahman Miri – in administrative detention knowing full well that it could create tension in Jordan-Israeli ties, but weighing the country’s security interests against its diplomatic ones.

Jerusalem believes that Amman’s decision to recall the ambassador for consultations – something that has happened several times before, most recently in 2017 after a security guard at the embassy killed two Jordanians after coming under attack – is a result of a very strong public campaign in Jordan on behalf of the two detainees,  both in the streets and on social media.

Foreign minister officials said that they have not received any message from Amman that the arrest of an Israeli who crossed the border on Tuesday evening was in any way linked to this case, or that the Jordanians were going to use him as a bargaining chip for the release of Labadi and Abdul Rahman Miri.

The chairman of the Jordanian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs committee,  Nidal a-Taani, was — however — quoted as saying just that the detainee could be used as a bargaining chip. Jordan’s parliament is viewed in Jerusalem as extreme and hostile. 

The arrested Israeli is someone who tried to cross the border because he was wanted by the police in Israel, something that happens from time to time and is usually dealt with within a few days.

The recall of the Jordanian ambassador is seen in Jerusalem as both an attempt to ramp up the pressure on Israel to release the two detainees,  and to show the public that the Jordanian government is doing something on their behalf.

Labadi, who is currently on a hunger strike, was arrested after crossing into Israel at the Allenby Bridge on August 20 and reportedly is being held on suspicion of having met with Hezbollah officials during trips to Beirut. No information has been made  available on the reason for the detention of Miri, though on Tuesday a military court rejected an appeal for his release. He was arrested on September 2.