Labadi, Meri arrive in Kingdom after release from Israeli detention

AMMAN — Jordanian Hiba Labadi and Abdulrahman Meri on Wednesday arrived in the Kingdom after their release from Israeli administrative detention, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In a tweet on Monday, Prime Minister Omar Razzaz said that relentless efforts by His Majesty King Abdullah and the government were behind their return.

The Foreign Ministry had called for the release of Labadi and Meri who were put under administrative detention by Israeli forces, which is a breach of international law.

Following His Majesty’s directives to take all necessary measures to release the two detainees, the ministry had made continuous efforts and intensive calls via diplomatic and political channels to urge Israel to release the detained Jordanians, whose health conditions have deteriorated since the beginning of their administrative detention.

In response to the ministry's demands, Israel pledged to hand over Labadi and Meri before the end of the week.

Labadi had been on a hunger strike for a month and her health has suffered as a result. Meri suffers from cancer.  

Labadi was transferred on Friday to a health centre under prison administration for treatment, in response to the ministry’s demands.

The Jordanian ambassador to Tel Aviv arrived home on October 30 in protest and to discuss Israel's prolonged detention of the two Jordanians.

Earlier in October, the ministry also summoned the Israeli Chargé d’Affaires in the Kingdom to protest against the continued detention of Labadi and Meri, and handed him a letter demanding their immediate release.

Israel had detained Labadi and Meri at the King Hussein Border Crossing in the Jordan Valley on August 20 and September 2, respectively.