Jordanian hunger striker to be released, Ambassador to Israel returns

Israel plans to release two Jordanians jailed by Israel on suspicion that they constituted a security risk, as a step toward ending the crisis between Jerusalem and Amman.

Jordan last week had recalled its ambassador Ghassan al-Majali to protests the arrests. Based on an agreement worked out between Jerusalem and Amman al-Majali will now return to Israel.

“The State of Israel views its relations with Jordan as a cornerstone of stability in the Middle East and will continue to work to preserve security in the region,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

It explained that “Jordan will return its ambassador to Israel in the coming days, as a result of an agreement that was reached between the two nations by which the two detained Jordanian will be handed over the Jordanian security,” the PMO said.

Security arrangements regarding their release has been determined  by both the head of Israel’s Secret Service and his Jordanian counterpart.

Earlier in the day Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi tweeted that the two Jordanian’s jailed by Israel will be returned to Jordan by the end of the week.

Heba Labadi and Abdel Rahman Meri were detained at the Allenby crossing in the Jordan Valley on August 20th and September 2nd, respectively.

Safadi’s tweet said that the government has worked to free them since the first day and is working with King Abdullah II to take all “necessary steps to return them safely at all costs.”

Labadi has been on a hunger-strike for 42 days ago. She was arrested as she traveled from Jordan to the West Bank to attend a family wedding on suspicion that she had met with Hezbollah terrorists during a trip to Lebanon. It’s a charge Labadi has rejected.

Meri was arrested on suspicion that he is affiliated with Hamas.

The arrests have heightened tensions between Israel and Jordan. Last week Jordan recalled its ambassador to Israel Ghassan al-Majali.

Jordan and Israel are also at odds over Amman’s refusal to extend a land lease to Israel of two tracts of territory at Naharayim and Zofar which Israelis have had access to for 25 years, since the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty was signed.

Khaled Abu Toameh contributed to this report.