Bahraini delegation led by minister arrives in Israel

By AbdelRaouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) – A Cabinet delegation from Bahrain arrived in Israel on Tuesday as part of the ongoing normalization process between the two countries.

The delegation led by Zayed bin Rashid al-Zayani, Bahrain’s minister of industry, commerce, and tourism, was received by Ofir Akunis, Israel’s minister of regional cooperation, at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport, according to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation.

The Bahraini dignitaries will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Economy Minister Amir Peretz, and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, the report said.

The Bahraini delegation includes heads of economic institutions and directors of companies and banks, it added.

The visit comes less than two weeks after Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani arrived in Israel on his first official visit to the country since Manama established diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv in September.

Bahrain has become the fourth Arab country to form diplomatic relations with Israel, after Egypt in 1979, Jordan 1994, and the UAE in August 2020.

The recent US-brokered normalization deals signed by the UAE and Bahrain have drawn widespread condemnation from Palestinians, who say the agreements ignore their rights and do not serve their cause.

*Bassel Barakat contributed to this report from Ankara