Israel PM’s visit to Bahrain

Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett undertakes a two-day official visit to Bahrain, one of the seven Gulf countries whose relations with Israel have been sour on account of the Israel-Palestine conflict, is being called a historic first.

Bennett met Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the prime minister, Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, during his “landmark” trip.

Bennett also met with Bahrain’s foreign minister, the commerce and tourism minister, the transportation and telecommunications minister, and works and agriculture minister. In the meetings, the two sides discussed ways to utilise the geographical advantages of Israel and Bahrain for the movement of goods between Asia and Europe, as well as opportunities for Jewish and Muslim economic entrepreneurs and business owners, a statement from the prime minister’s office said.

Significance of the visit

The visit signals the growing ties that are developing between Israel and the Gulf countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates).

It comes a couple of years after another the UAE — a key ally of the US — normalised relations with Israel in 2020 after signing the ‘Abraham Accords’. This deal, sponsored by the US, was part of the country’s regional security agenda to counter Iran.

• As part of this security agenda — signed during the Trump administration — the US prioritised improving relations between Israel and the Gulf countries, something that the latter nations have been wary of because of the Israel-Palestine conflict. As part of the Abraham Accords, Israel agreed to stop further annexation of Palestinian territory
• The accords were signed by the leaders of Bahrain, Israel and the UAE in September 2020. Bennett visited the UAE in December 2021, becoming the first leader from Israel to visit the federation of seven emirates.