Three charged with West Bank arms smuggling ring

Two Bedouin Israelis and a Palestinian from the West Bank have been indicted over an arms smuggling plot, the Shin Bet security agency and Justice Ministry say in a joint statement.

According to the indictments, Imad and Abdullah Abu Kaf — an uncle and nephew — residents of the southern village of Umm Batin, sold and purchased dozens of firearms and weapon parts over the past year and a half with Adham Atrash, an arms dealer in Hebron.

The trio, arrested in recent months, are charged with various weapons offenses.

The joint statement says security forces “view with severity the involvement of Israeli citizens in the criminal activity of illegal arms trade [with the West Bank], an activity which has real potential to cause serious harm to the security of the state.

“The prosecution has requested the three men be held until the end of legal proceedings.