Israel probes Palestinian-Israeli MP for smuggling phones to prisoners

Israel's attorney general has ordered the investigation of a lawmaker on suspicion of smuggling mobile phones to Palestinian prisoners.

Police said on Monday they will soon summon the Palestinian MP for the Israeli Knesset, Basel Ghattas, for questioning.

Israel's prison services said they received a tip that Ghattas would smuggle the phones on Sunday to Palestinian prisoners convicted of killing Israelis. Following the visit, prison officials recovered 12 mobile phones in the jail.

Israel's internal security minister, Gilad Erdan, said if suspicions prove true, Ghattas belongs in jail.

Ghattas is a member of the Balad faction, a Palestinian nationalist party that frequently clashes with the Israeli government. 

Palestinians make up one fifth of Israel's population.