Two Arab Israelis indicted over planned attack in southern Israel

Two Arab Israelis were indicted on Thursday at an Israeli court for allegedly planning to carry out a terror attack at a hotel in the southern resort town of Eilat, court protocols show.

Khaleel Nimri and Ashraf Salaymeh, both residents of east Jerusalem, plotted to plant explosives at the Rio Hotel in Eilat, according to the indictment that was filed at the Beer Sheva district court.

The two, who worked at the hotel, decided to "seek revenge" against Israelis amid the ongoing wave of violence, which started in October, and the activities of the Israeli security forces against Palestinians, the indictment stated.

Hotel employees, who noticed suspicious behavior by the two as they were gathering intelligence, alerted the management and security forces apprehended them last month.

They were arrested before managing to obtain explosives to carry out their plan.

The two were charged on Thursday with conspiracy to aid an enemy in a time of war. According to the indictment, they had no prior record of security-related offences and had no affiliation with any militant organization.

Twenty three Israelis and one U.S. citizens were killed amid the ongoing wave of violence in stabbing, shooting and vehicular attacks.

More than 120 Palestinians were killed during this period, some in clashes with Israeli security forces during protests, while others were gunned down after allegedly committing attacks against Israelis. Endit