UPDATE - Israeli foreign minister arrives in Bahrain

Yair Lapid pays first official visit to open Israeli Embassy in Gulf country

UPDATES WITH HAMAS REACTION

By Yusuf Ibrahim

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid arrived Thursday in Bahrain to inaugurate the Israeli Embassy in the capital of Manama.

“We landed in Bahrain. Proud to represent Israel on the first and historic official visit to the Kingdom. Thanks for the warm welcome,” Lapid tweeted.

On Wednesday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said Lapid “will inaugurate the Israeli Embassy in Manama, and sign a series of bilateral agreements."

On Sept. 14, Bahrain's Ambassador to Tel Aviv Khaled Al Jalahma presented his credentials to Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, condemned Bahrain's reception of the Israeli minister.

"We call on all powers in the nation to raise their voice in rejection of normalization with the occupation, which only serves Zionist interests and its colonial narrative," said the group’s spokesman Hazem Qasem.

Israel and Bahrain signed a US-sponsored agreement last year to normalize relations.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat in Ankara

Kaynak:

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