LONDON: Bahrain’s King Hamad and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid discussed increasing cooperation on Thursday during the highest level Israeli visit since the two countries established relations last year.
Bahrain and Israel signed a US-brokered agreement, known as the Abraham Accords, last year, along with the UAE, Sudan and Morocco, formally normalizing relations with the Jewish state.
King Hamad welcomed the opening of the Israeli embassy in Manama and said the signing of the agreements “is an important historical achievement on the road to achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East and meeting the aspirations of its peoples for security, stability and prosperity,” Bahrain News Agency reported.
Thank you to the King of Bahrain, His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, on a historic, warm, and hopeful meeting.
His Majesty’s leadership and inspiration have led to true cooperation and our meeting outlined the path forward for our relationship. pic.twitter.com/Ip6Ewu4Gsn
— יאיר לפיד – Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) September 30, 2021
He also said peace is a strategic option for Bahrain, and that the kingdom’s vision and approach are based on strengthening the values of understanding, dialogue, cooperation, peaceful coexistence, tolerance and rapprochement among peoples.
King Hamad said his country is keen to support all efforts to achieve peace, stability and development in the interest of all.
During the meeting at Sakhir Palace, the king thanked the US for its role in reaching peace agreements and its efforts to advance peace efforts in the region for a more prosperous and stable future.
Lapid, who landed at Bahrain’s international airport in an Israir plane with an olive branch painted on its nose, also met Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad, held talks with his Bahraini counterpart and will inaugurate Israel’s embassy in Manama.
Together with all our friends in the Gulf, we are leading today a brave coalition of moderates who are looking forward and creating a prosperous future of stability and tolerance. Whoever cooperates will lead both the world and the Middle East.
— יאיר לפיד – Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) September 30, 2021
“His Majesty’s leadership and inspiration have led to true cooperation and our meeting outlined the path forward for our relationship,” Lapid said on Twitter after meeting the king.
An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson said: “We see Bahrain as an important partner, on the bilateral level but also as a bridge to cooperate with other countries in the region.”
The ministry said five memorandums of understanding will be signed, including cooperation agreements between hospitals and water and power companies.
Bahrain’s Gulf Air is due to make its first direct commercial flight to Tel Aviv later in the day.
(With Reuters)
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