Israel sentences French national to 7 years in prison

An Israeli district court in Beersheba sentenced on Monday French citizen for seven years in prison in addition to an 18-month suspended sentence and ordered to pay NIS30,000 ($8,300), Israeli media reported.

Romain Frank, a former driver in the French consulate in Jerusalem, was arrested last year over claims of helping Palestinian arms smugglers in transferring guns from Gaza to the West Bank.

The Shin Bet identified the suspect as 23-year-old Romain Franck.

He is accused of using a consular vehicle to elude tight security checks and transfer 70 pistols and two assault rifles from Gaza to the occupied West Bank during five trips. pic.twitter.com/DAnj8hlpWC

— Eddie Du (@Edourdoo) March 20, 2018

He was sentenced under a plea bargain in which he recognised using a diplomatic vehicle to move 70 pistols and two automatic rifles for the smugglers.

The Israeli prosecutors accused him of receiving $7,600 for transporting the weapons from Gaza to the occupied West Bank.

Israeli newspaper the Times of Israel said that this sentence was not harsh as if it was for a Palestinian because Frank was motivated to move the contraband from Gaza to the West Bank by money, not in solidarity with the Palestinian “terror.”

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