JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel and Jordan resolved a diplomatic standoff late Monday after a day of high-level negotiations that ended with the evacuation of Israeli Embassy staff from their base in Jordan to Israel.
The crisis had been triggered by a shooting Sunday in which an Israeli embassy guard killed two Jordanians after one attacked him. Jordan initially said the guard could only leave after an investigation, while Israel said he enjoyed diplomatic immunity.
The crisis was resolved after a phone call late Monday between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jordan's King Abdullah II.
The relatively swift end to the standoff could signal progress toward ending another crisis, over a contested Jerusalem holy shrine. Jordan is the Muslim custodian of the site which is also holy to Jews.
On Monday evening, the Israeli security Cabinet met for a second straight day to try find an alternative to metal detectors installed a week earlier at the shrine amid widespread Muslim protests.
Ministers were being asked to consider the installation of sophisticated, high-resolution cameras and increased police deployments as a replacement for the metal detectors, Israeli media said. The cameras would be installed in Jerusalem's Old City where the shrine is located.
Media reports said an emerging deal could see the embassy security guard released in exchange for the removal of the metal detectors.