Jordanians celebrate Israel's release of two detainees

“I’m very happy and I thank His Majesty King Abdullah, the Foreign Ministry and the Jordanian people for supporting me,” Labadi said.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
A demonstrator holds a picture of Jordanian citizen Hiba Labadi during a protest calling for the release of Labadi and Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails (photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMAD TOROKMAN)
A demonstrator holds a picture of Jordanian citizen Hiba Labadi during a protest calling for the release of Labadi and Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails
(photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMAD TOROKMAN)
Jordanians on Wednesday celebrated the release of two detainees held in Israeli jails, Hiba al-Labadi, 24, and Abdul Rahman Miri, 29, who had been arrested on suspicion that they constituted a security risk for Israel.
A Jordanian official said that the release of Labadi and Meri is a “big achievement for Jordanian diplomacy.” The official said that Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, played a major role in securing the release of the two Jordanian citizens. “This is a big victory for Safadi,” the official said. “In the past few weeks, he worked hard, on many levels, to make sure that Labadi and Meri are released from prison and reunited with their families.”
 Another official in Amman clarified that the Jordanian security authorities have no intention to interrogate the two.
The official was commenting on a statement issued earlier Wednesday by the Prime Minister’s Office, which said that that Israel was “transferring responsibility of the two arrested Jordanians to the Jordanian security forces.”
“No measures will be taken against Labadi and Meri,” the official said. “They were being held in detention without trial, which means they are not accused of committing any offense.”
As soon as they crossed the Allenby Bridge into Jordan, Labadi and Meri were received by family members, medical teams and representatives of the Jordanian Foreign Ministry.
“I’m very happy and I thank His Majesty King Abdullah, the Foreign Ministry and the Jordanian people for supporting me,” Labadi said. “Without your support, I wouldn’t have been freed. I feel strong, and so do all the prisoners in Israel.”
Labadi, who was arrested in August when she arrived at the crossing, also known as the King Hussein Bridge, on her way to attend a cousin’s wedding in the West Bank, went on hunger strike for more than 35 days and had been hospitalized three times for medical treatment.
According to some reports, she was suspected of working on behalf of the Hezbollah terror group. Labadi reportedly denied the charges against her, claiming that she had visited Lebanon only to see her sister. She was placed under administrative detention for six months.
Meri, who was reportedly suspected of membership in the Hamas terrorist group, was also held under administrative detention for six months.
He told reporters upon his arrival in Jordan that a diplomat from the Jordanian Embassy in Israel visited him and Labadi several times in prison. “The diplomat came to see us on instructions from the king,” Meri said. “We felt that we had all the support we needed.”
Meri’s mother, Ruwaidah, expressed delight over her son’s release from Israeli prison. “I want to thank our government, specifically the Foreign Ministry, for their efforts to release my son,” she said.
Labadi and Meri were immediately taken to the King Hussein Medical Center in Amman for a medical check-up.
A Jordanian official said that the release of Labadi and Meri is a “big achievement for Jordanian diplomacy.” The official said that Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, played a key role in securing the release of the two Jordanian citizens. “This is a big victory for Safadi,” the official said. “In the past few weeks, he worked hard, on many levels, to make sure that Labadi and Meri are released from prison and reunited with their families.”
Another official in Amman clarified that the Jordanian security authorities have no intention to interrogate the two. The official was commenting on a statement issued earlier Wednesday by the Prime Minister’s Office, which said that Israel was “transferring responsibility of the two arrested Jordanians to the Jordanian security forces.”
“No measures will be taken against Labadi and Meri,” the official said. “They were being held in detention without trial, which means they are not accused of committing any offense.”


Related Tags
King Abdullah