Jordanian lawmaker Imad Adwan has been released by Israeli authorities and handed back over to Jordan after he was arrested last month on suspicion of smuggling weapons into the West Bank. Adwan is a member of the Palestine Committee and has been a vocal advocate for Palestinian resistance to Israel.

????? ????: ??? 100 ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????.. ?????https://t.co/DzFqDIN736#?????? #???? #???? pic.twitter.com/SkcEU7bPHR

— ????? ???? ????????? (@ammonnews) April 23, 2023

In a statement released by Israel’s Shin Bet security agency, Adwan was arrested on April 23 at the Allenby Bridge crossing with Jordan under suspicion on smuggling weapons, where 12 rifles and nearly 200 handguns, as well as 100kg of gold, were recovered from his vehicle after a search. Shin Bet accused Adwan of smuggling weapons for financial gain, stating that he made a dozen previous runs since February 2022. The agency added that several alleged accomplices were arrested in the West Bank, as well as within Jordan with the help of local authorities.

Haaretz, citing security sources, said authorities decided to release Adwan “after the investigation into his case was completed, and investigators believed there was no justification for keeping him in custody after they obtained a full picture of how the weapons shipment was organized and who his suspected accomplices were.”

??? ?????? ?????? ???? #?????_????????_?????_????????? ?????? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ????? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ???? ??????? ?? ??? ??????? ??????????? ??? ??????? ???????? ??????? ???????. pic.twitter.com/7wQirJuiU0

— ????? ???????? ????? ????????? ???????? (@ForeignMinistry) May 7, 2023

A statement from the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that “the process of handing over MP Imad Al-Adwan by the Israeli authorities to the concerned Jordanian security authorities began on the King Hussein Bridge.” Meanwhile, Jordanian legislators voted to remove the diplomatic immunity status from Adwan, where he will be taken to trial by the State Security Court.

The release Adwan faced criticism by some Israeli officials, such as Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who argued that the decision should have been discussed by the Israeli Cabinet and suggested that Adwan should have been prosecuted in Israel to not show weakness.