An indictment has been filed against two East Jerusalem residents accused of planning an attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to the indictment, alleged Hamas recruits Hazem Sanduqa, 22, and Fahdi Abu Qaian, 19, had planned to plant explosives in the Jerusalem Payis Arena at a time when Mr Netanyahu was scheduled to speak there – although a final date for the attack was never set.

The men have been accused of assisting the enemy in a time of war, contacting a foreign agent and purchasing chemicals for the preparing of explosives.

Sanduqa has also been accused of purchasing chemicals used to make explosives and transporting these materials to Hamas operatives running a laboratory in Abu Dis, near Jerusalem.

Abu Qaian is accused of conspiring with Hamas to transport weapons between Israel and the West Bank "to carry out murderous attacks against Israeli citizens."

It is believed that the two men had recently been recruited by Hamas from Al-Quds Univeristy because of their lack of criminal records and because security services had not been not monitoring them.