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MANAMA: Prime Minister Naftali Bennett arrived in Bahrain Monday for the first-ever official go to by an Israeli head of presidency to the Gulf state, an AFP reporter stated.
Bennett’s go to is the most recent following the US-brokered 2020 Abraham Accords, which defied many years of Arab consensus that dominated out ties with Israel within the absence of an answer to the Israeli-Palestinian battle. He is because of meet King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa.
Bahrain and its shut ally the United Arab Emirates grew to become solely the third and fourth majority Arab states- following Egypt and Jordan- to determine ties with Israel after they signed on to the pacts negotiated underneath former US president Donald Trump.
“I will meet the King, I will meet the Crown Prince,” Bennett stated on the tarmac shortly earlier than departing, referring to Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa.
The prime minister, who can be set to see different high officers and members of the Jewish group, stated he’ll maintain “a collection of conferences whose aim is to fill – with power and content material – the peace settlement between the 2 nations”.
“In these tumultuous occasions it is necessary that from this area we ship a message of good-will, of cooperation of standing collectively in opposition to widespread challenges,” he added.
The journey follows a go to to Manama by Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz earlier this month that noticed the 2 international locations signal a defence settlement.
That deal lined intelligence, procurement and joint coaching, with Gantz boasting that it additional solidified the nascent diplomatic relationship.
The go to additionally comes at a time of regional tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Iran is engaged in negotiations with Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia instantly and with the USA not directly to revive the deal formally referred to as the Joint Complete Plan of Motion.
The deal provided Tehran sanctions reduction in trade for curbs on its nuclear programme. The US unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 underneath Trump. The drive to salvage it resumed in late November.
Bennett’s authorities strongly opposes a return to the 2015 settlement, repeatedly warning that providing Tehran sanctions reduction will result in elevated income that Iran will use to purchase weapons to be used in opposition to Israelis.
Yoel Guzansky, a senior researcher on the Institute for Nationwide Safety Research in Tel Aviv, stated Bennett’s journey is “completely” about Iran.
“In mild of the talks in Vienna it’s a present of drive, symbolism, that the international locations are working collectively,” he stated.
Dore Gold, head of the Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs, stated Israel and Bahrain have been pushed in direction of nearer ties as each are “underneath menace by Iranian actions”.
He pointed to unrest in Bahrain blamed on Iran-backed insurgents and the vary of threats that Israel says Iran poses, notably its arming of the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
As a part of their defence agreements, Israel is about to publish a naval official in Bahrain, which hosts a base for the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
Guzansky stated that in a number of respects Bahrain has been perceived as transferring slower than the UAE by way of solidifying ties with Israel.
However, he added, permitting an Israeli navy officer to be based mostly there was “important,” whereas noting that Bahrain “doesn’t wish to be seen as an Israeli base within the Gulf.”
Bennett’s go to is the most recent following the US-brokered 2020 Abraham Accords, which defied many years of Arab consensus that dominated out ties with Israel within the absence of an answer to the Israeli-Palestinian battle. He is because of meet King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa.
Bahrain and its shut ally the United Arab Emirates grew to become solely the third and fourth majority Arab states- following Egypt and Jordan- to determine ties with Israel after they signed on to the pacts negotiated underneath former US president Donald Trump.
“I will meet the King, I will meet the Crown Prince,” Bennett stated on the tarmac shortly earlier than departing, referring to Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa.
The prime minister, who can be set to see different high officers and members of the Jewish group, stated he’ll maintain “a collection of conferences whose aim is to fill – with power and content material – the peace settlement between the 2 nations”.
“In these tumultuous occasions it is necessary that from this area we ship a message of good-will, of cooperation of standing collectively in opposition to widespread challenges,” he added.
The journey follows a go to to Manama by Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz earlier this month that noticed the 2 international locations signal a defence settlement.
That deal lined intelligence, procurement and joint coaching, with Gantz boasting that it additional solidified the nascent diplomatic relationship.
The go to additionally comes at a time of regional tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Iran is engaged in negotiations with Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia instantly and with the USA not directly to revive the deal formally referred to as the Joint Complete Plan of Motion.
The deal provided Tehran sanctions reduction in trade for curbs on its nuclear programme. The US unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 underneath Trump. The drive to salvage it resumed in late November.
Bennett’s authorities strongly opposes a return to the 2015 settlement, repeatedly warning that providing Tehran sanctions reduction will result in elevated income that Iran will use to purchase weapons to be used in opposition to Israelis.
Yoel Guzansky, a senior researcher on the Institute for Nationwide Safety Research in Tel Aviv, stated Bennett’s journey is “completely” about Iran.
“In mild of the talks in Vienna it’s a present of drive, symbolism, that the international locations are working collectively,” he stated.
Dore Gold, head of the Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs, stated Israel and Bahrain have been pushed in direction of nearer ties as each are “underneath menace by Iranian actions”.
He pointed to unrest in Bahrain blamed on Iran-backed insurgents and the vary of threats that Israel says Iran poses, notably its arming of the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
As a part of their defence agreements, Israel is about to publish a naval official in Bahrain, which hosts a base for the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
Guzansky stated that in a number of respects Bahrain has been perceived as transferring slower than the UAE by way of solidifying ties with Israel.
However, he added, permitting an Israeli navy officer to be based mostly there was “important,” whereas noting that Bahrain “doesn’t wish to be seen as an Israeli base within the Gulf.”
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