Israel arrests French Consulate driver for gun smuggling

JERUSALEM – A French employee of France's Consulate in Jerusalem is under arrest for allegedly smuggling dozens of weapons from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank, Israel's domestic security agency said Monday.

The Shin Bet said the man, identified as Romain Franck, 23, was part of a broader Palestinian smuggling ring. It said he used his consular vehicle, which is subjected to more lenient security checks, to transport the weapons through Israel's tightly secured border with the Gaza Strip. It said he took part in the ring for financial gain and that his employer was unaware of his actions.

The French Embassy in Israel issued a statement confirming that a consulate employee had been arrested, saying it was treating the incident with "great importance," but wouldn't discuss the case itself. The embassy said it was in contact with Israeli authorities and the suspect's family, and was opening an internal investigation into the matter.

On Monday, Israel charged Franck with conspiracy to commit a crime and multiple weapons offenses, among other counts.