Mossad accuses Iran of Jordan border arms smuggling into West Bank

Mossad is to conduct an investigation into alleged weapons smuggling from the Jordanian border following a number of attacks in Israel -the Israeli Army Radio reported. 

The increase in smuggling activities coming from the Jordanian side is being blamed on Iran. 

Analysts say the hike in arms smuggling between early 2021 and early 2023 from the Jordanian and Egyptian borders coincided with a spike in violence in the occupied West Bank.

In August 2022, the Israeli army reported a "marked rise" in detected attempts to smuggle weapons and drugs into Israel from Jordan and Egypt, saying more than 300 weapons and 2,150 kg of various drugs were seized last year at the borders. 

In April 2023, Israeli authorities arrested Jordanian MP Imad al-Adwan at the Allenby Bridge border crossing for allegedly attempting to smuggle over 200 guns into the West Bank. 

Al-Adwan was arrested on 22 April with bags full of more than 200 guns, Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency, said in a statement. It said its investigation revealed that Al-Adwan had carried out 12 separate smuggling attempts since early 2022. 

More than 330 handguns and assault rifles have been seized from smugglers along the Jordan border so far this year. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for a "security fence" to span Israel and the occupied West Bank's 300km border with Jordan, claiming that such a measure would limit drug and weapons smuggling into the country.

More than 244 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers so far this year.