Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz met secretly with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Sunday.

Axar.az reports that the daily said the meeting took place in Jordan but did not specify the precise date of the meeting.

Gantz, who is leading the Blue and White party in the upcoming Israeli elections, told his party members earlier that he was conducting secret meetings with top Jordanian officials.

Gantz also criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s relationship with Amman, accusing him of harming Israel's relations with Jordan.

“I think Jordan is a great asset to Israel, and I think that our relationship with Jordan could be 1,000 times better. Unfortunately, Netanyahu is an unwanted figure in Jordan, and his presence harms” the two countries' relations, Gantz said.

The Jordanian authorities have yet to comment on the Israeli media report.