Conversation between PM Netanyahu, Ambassador Shlain and security officer (Hebrew)
The security officer who was wounded in a terrorist stabbing near the Israeli embassy in Amman yesterday was returned to Israel Monday night.
The Prime Minister's office issued a statement on the officer's return: "The staff of the Israeli embassy in Jordan, headed by Ambassador Einat Shlain, arrived in Israel a short time ago via the Allenby crossing. Among the crew members is the security officer who was injured last night in the stabbing attack in Amman. All emissaries [were returned] peacefully."
"The return of the emissaries was made possible by the close cooperation between Israel and Jordan in the last 24 hours. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke a short while ago with the ambassador and the security man, demanded their safety and congratulated them," the statement concluded.
Jordan had blocked the return of the guard after he shot his attacker in self-defense. The attacker and an Arab bystander were killed. The Hashemite kingdom sought to question the officer despite his diplomatic immunity.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Jordanian King Abdullah agreed to resolve the crisis between Israel and Jordan during a phone conversation earlier this evening.
According to the Channel 10 report, the agreement stipulates that metal detectors will be removed from the entrances to the Temple Mount and will be replaced by other security measures. Additionally, the security guard wounded in yesterday's stabbing attack at the Israeli embassy in Amman would be allowed to return to Israel under the agreement.
Earlier, the head of the Shin Bet intelligence service traveled to Amman to discuss the release of the security guard who was wounded in the attack yesterday.
An embassy security officer was stabbed Sunday night by a Jordanian terrorist in his residence adjacent to the embassy complex. After he was stabbed, the officer opened fire, killing the terrorist. A second Jordanian citizen was also killed in the incident, apparently from stray fire.
Israel had refused the Jordanian demand that the guard be turned over for qustioning, prompting the Jordanian government to issue an order barring the officer’s exit from Jordan.
The Shin Bet chief was sent, among other reasons, to conduct an investigation of the incident from the Israeli side - which Israel will apparently share with Jordan, instead of allowing Amman to investigate the embassy.
The Shin Bet chief also reportedly discussed the removal of the metal detectors from the entrances to the Temple Mount.