Israel, Jordan complete joint drill

JERUSALEM, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Israeli and Jordanian military forces concluded a joint one-day exercise simulating an earthquake and drilling rescue and emergency procedures, officials said.

The drill was kept under wraps until its conclusion Monday, Yedioth Aharonoth said Tuesday.

The newspaper said it is the first time the Israeli army has published details of the drill even though it is an annual event between the two countries.

The forces from Israel's Home Front Command and their Jordanian counterparts operated side by side in the Beit Shean area rescuing victims of a simulated earthquake zone, and searching underneath rubble, officials said.

An unnamed Israeli army official praised the Jordanian soldiers who worked effectively and efficiently alongside their Israeli counterparts, the newspaper said.

The joint drill took place the same day Jordan's King Abdullah II warned the lack of progress in peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority could plunge the region into an abyss.