Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid is in Manama today to open his nation’s first-ever embassy in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
By Erin Viner
Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) normalized relations a year ago with the signing of Abraham Accords.
The Kingdom’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani greeted Minister Lapid upon his arrival – which marks the highest level diplomatic visit by an Israeli official to to the Gulf State so far.
Dr. Al Zayani and his UAE counterpart Khalifa Shaheen Almarar met with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett last Sunday in New York, against the background of the United Nations General Assembly. According to a statement from his office, the Israeli leader expressed Jerusalem’s aspiration “to tighten and strengthen relations with the UAE and Bahrain in all fields,” and that he hopes additional countries in the region “will join the circle of peace.”
Lapid, who also serves as Israel’s Alternate Premier, is also slated to sign a list of bilateral agreements with his Bahraini counterpart while he is in Manama.
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General Alon Ushpiz and Deputy Director General for Middle Eastern Affairs and the Peace Process Oded Yossef accompanied Minister Lapid for the event.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog greeted the Bahrain’s first-ever Ambassador, H.E. Mr. Khaled Yusuf Al Jalahma, at his official residence in Jerusalem on 14 September.