Israeli Sentenced to 4 Months in Jail for Illegally Crossing into Jordan

A Jordanian court sentenced an Israeli man to four months in prison for illegally crossing into the country. (Petra news agency)
A Jordanian court sentenced an Israeli man to four months in prison for illegally crossing into the country. (Petra news agency)
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Israeli Sentenced to 4 Months in Jail for Illegally Crossing into Jordan

A Jordanian court sentenced an Israeli man to four months in prison for illegally crossing into the country. (Petra news agency)
A Jordanian court sentenced an Israeli man to four months in prison for illegally crossing into the country. (Petra news agency)

A Jordanian court sentenced an Israeli man on Monday to four months in prison and fined him $1,450 for illegally crossing into the country and possessing drugs, the state-run Petra news agency reported.

Konstantin Kotov, 35, crossed into Jordanian territory on Oct. 29. He pleaded guilty to crossing the border into Jordan illegally but pleaded not guilty to the drug possession charge, saying it was meant for personal use.

The Jordanian state security judge rejected Kotov's argument, saying he had violated Jordanian law.

Kotov did not say why he traveled to Jordan and wrongly claimed that having a small amount of marijuana was legal in Israel.

Israeli law does not allow any possession of marijuana, though amounts smaller than 15 grams are considered to be for personal use and carry a lesser charge.



Blinken Speaks to Israel’s Dermer about Humanitarian Situation in Gaza

 A man sits on rubble of a house destroyed in an Israeli strike at the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on November 12, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
A man sits on rubble of a house destroyed in an Israeli strike at the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on November 12, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
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Blinken Speaks to Israel’s Dermer about Humanitarian Situation in Gaza

 A man sits on rubble of a house destroyed in an Israeli strike at the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on November 12, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
A man sits on rubble of a house destroyed in an Israeli strike at the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on November 12, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the importance of improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza in a meeting with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer in Washington on Monday, the State Department said.

Dermer updated Blinken on operational changes and policy decisions taken by Israel in response to a US letter sent in October, the department said in a statement on Tuesday.

Blinken "emphasized the importance of ensuring those changes lead to an actual improvement in the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, including through the delivery of additional assistance to civilians throughout Gaza," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in the statement.