AMMAN, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Israel on Thursday apologized to Jordan in an official letter over an Israeli embassy shooting last year which killed two Jordanians, state-run Petra news agency reported.

In the apology letter sent by Israel's foreign ministry, the Israeli government stressed its keenness to resume cooperation with Jordan to settle the issue.

Israel also pledged to compensate the families of the two Jordanians killed by an Israeli embassy employee and promised continued legal procedures, said Jordanian Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani.

Last July, two Jordanians were killed and an Israeli injured in a shooting in a residential building of the heavily-guarded Israeli embassy in the capital Amman.

A doctor, who is the owner of the apartment, and a carpenter were killed by an Israeli embassy employee, who claimed the carpenter tried to assault him with a screwdriver because of a payment dispute, according to the investigation by the government of Jordan.

After the attack, all Israeli embassy members including the ambassador left Jordan, and the kingdom said it would not allow their return until an apology is extended.