Israel sentences French driver to 7 years for gun smuggling

JERUSALEM – An Israeli court has sentenced a French citizen who was working as a driver for his country’s consulate in Jerusalem to seven years in prison for smuggling weapons from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank.

The Beersheba District Court on Monday handed Romain Franck the prison sentence as part of a plea deal. Franck was arrested by Israeli authorities last year and charged with involvement in a Palestinian arm smuggling ring.

Four other ring members have been sentenced to up to five years each.

Franck admitted to using the consulate’s vehicle, which is not rigorous searched, to transport firearms through Israel’s tightly secured crossing with the Gaza Strip.

The court documents say that in exchange for smuggling the weapons to the West Bank, Franck received 26,000 shekels, or $7,250.