Jordanian border on the Arava
Photo: Moti Kimchi
Suspected 'spy' returned from Jordan
Israeli youth accidentally crosses Jordanian border, thought at first to be Israeli spy, is returned to Israel. 'They thought I was Mossad,' he says
A young Israeli man, who accidentally crossed the Jordanian border and was suspected by Jordanian authorities of being an Israeli spy, was returned safely to Israel on Monday, Yedioth Ahronoth reported.
Yehonatan Levy, 19, was recently charged with breaking and entering and was sent in lieu of an arrest to work in a tavern on the Arava Highway.
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On Wednesday, Levy escaped, attempting to hitch-hike his way back on Saturday.
According to him, after he was dropped off he accidentally crossed the Israeli-Jordanian border and was promptly apprehended by Jordanian authorities.
During his interrogation he did not, for some reason, reveal his real name and used an alias, which made the Jordanians suspect he is a spy.
The confusion was only cleared after the Jordanian authorities contacted Israel. Following several clarifications and negotiations, Levy was returned to Israeli territory.
"They thought I was a Mossad agent, they beat me, turned a gun to my head and locked me in a cell," Levy told his attorney, Yehonatan Rabinovich.
Rabinovich, from the Public Defendor's office, said: "He is a young man with no criminal records who has a complex and difficult family background, which affected his mental state.
"He left the tavern to visit his little sister, who he hasn't seen for a long time."
Levy was arrested, the police will motion on Monday for his remand.
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