Jordanian MP Imad al-Adwan was arrested by Israel at the Allenby Bridge crossing on April 23, on suspicion of smuggling a large cache of weapons and gold into Israel, with the aim of distributing it to terrorist groups in the Palestinian Authority.
Roya News, a Jordanian private independent satellite TV channel based in Amman, reported on Sunday that Al-Adwan could be released soon.
Al-Adwan is a Bedouin member of parliament who supports the “Palestinians,” and has in the past expressed support for Hamas.
According to Roya News, Israel is dealing with the MP’s case not as a criminal or a security issue, but rather as a political one. Their sources “pointed out that Jordan is putting in a lot of effort and is in contact with the Israeli Occupation government, according to which Adwan will be released in the near future.”
According to the same sources, the Shin Bet wants to keep Al-Adwan behind bars longer so they may dig deep into his involvement in PA terrorism. Roya reported that the MP faced the Ofer Military Court on Thursday, and the judges followed his attorney’s request and cut his remand from the requested additional 15 days to eight. It means that this international hot potato of a case should be resolved this coming Thursday.
On the day after Al-Adwan had been arrested, Jordan News reported that Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi refused to take a phone call from Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen to discuss the case – in doubt with the age-old rule: when in trouble, ignore, ignore, ignore.
Then throw a hissy fit.
