Israel Says to Free Two Jordanians, Ambassador to Return

Israel announced Monday it would release two detained Jordanians and that Amman's ambassador would return to Israel as a result, bringing an end to a diplomatic dispute between them.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on Twitter Monday that the pair -- Hiba al-Labdi, 24, and Abdelrahman Merhi, 28 -- would return home before the end of the week.

Israel has not commented on the reasons for their detention, though Israeli media have reported that they were held on suspicion of security-related offences.

Jordanian media reported that the two had each traveled to the Israeli-occupied West Bank to attend relatives' marriages.

Jordan has been pushing for their release, including by announcing the recall of its ambassador to Israel last week.

"Jordan will return its ambassador to Israel in the coming days after an agreement was reached between the countries for the transferring of the responsibility of the two arrested Jordanians in Israel to the Jordanian security forces," a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.

The Jordanian foreign minister said his country followed up on their case "from the beginning upon direct instructions from King Abdullah II".

"Israel pledged today (Monday) to hand over to the kingdom Jordanian citizens Hiba al-Labdi and Abdelrahman Merhi before the end of the week... and preparations for their return have begun," Safadi tweeted.

According to Amman, Labdi and Merhi were arrested in August and September respectively at King Hussein Bridge, a crossing between Jordan and the West Bank.

Jordanian media reported that the woman had been on a hunger strike for around a month and her health had suffered as a result, while her compatriot is suffering from cancer.

Israel's prison service said Monday that Labdi had ended her hunger strike.

Israel's Shin Bet domestic security service declined to comment beyond the statement from the prime minister's office when contacted by AFP.

Jordan is one of only two Arab countries -- along with Egypt -- to have a peace treaty with Israel.