Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is greeted by Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani after arriving at Manama International Airport in Manama, Bahrain, February 14, 2022. Photo: Reuters
Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has arrived on a historic trip in Bahrain, marking the first-ever visit by a premier of the Jewish state to the Gulf nation.
Before departing for Bahrain on Monday, the Prime Minister told reporters that he is scheduled to meet King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa and hold a series of meetings, “the goal of which is to provide content and energy for the peace between the two countries”.
In a separate statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said Bennett and the Crown Prince will also discuss “additional ways to strengthen bilateral ties” and exchange views on “the importance of peace, advancement and prosperity in the region, and especially the advancement of diplomatic and economic issues, with an emphasis on technology and innovation”.
Bennett is slated to meet other Bahraini Ministers and representatives of the local Jewish community during the duration of the trip, Xinhua news agency reported.
During their meeting on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow last November, the Bahraini Crown Prince invited the Israeli premier for a first official visit.
In September 2020, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirate (UAE) agreed to normalise their ties with Israel under Us-brokered agreements, known as the Abraham Accords.
In December 2021, Bennett visited the UAE for the first time.
This post was last modified on February 15, 2022 1:51 pm