A group of identifiably Jewish visitors to Jordan found their holiday had turned sour after they were set upon by locals.

The six tourists, some of whom were wearing kippot, were in the Al Karak souk when they were reportedly targeted by attackers throwing shoes at them. The tourists were chased out of the market.

The incident, in a town which is famous for its Crusader castle, was described as concerning by the Anti-Defamation League. The hate monitor's national director, Abraham Foxm,an, urged the Jordanian authorities to investigate what happened.

"It would be unfortunate if Jewish tourists concluded that they were unwelcome and personally unsafe in Jordan based on this incident," he said.

Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1994 and the neighbouring states have enjoyed largely peaceful relations in recent years.