From the Liveblog of
Monday, July 2, 2018
French consular employee in Gaza gun-running scheme goes on trial
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleA French employee of his country’s consulate accused of smuggling dozens of guns from Gaza to the West Bank in an official car appeared in a Beersheba court.
Romain Franck, a 24-year-old French citizen, is accused along with several Palestinian suspects of using a diplomatic vehicle to smuggle dozens of guns from Gaza to the West Bank.
After Franck’s lawyer requested more time to prepare his case and asked for an official translation into French of the charge sheet, the judge adjourned the trial to September 16.
Franck allegedly took advantage of reduced security checks for consular vehicles to transport 70 pistols and two assault rifles from Gaza to the West Bank.
Israeli authorities have stressed he acted on his own without the consulate’s knowledge, adding that diplomatic relations with France were not affected.
— with AFP
The Times of Israel Community.