Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett Makes Historic Visit To Bahrain

 

Jerusalem Post: Bennett becomes first Israeli PM to visit Bahrain 

Bennett’s trip to Manama came at the invitation of the Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, who is also Bahrain’s prime minister. 

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett set off for Bahrain on Monday, the first visit of its kind by an Israeli premier. 

Bennett called the trip “an exciting event... with the goal to bring meaning and energy to the peace between the two countries.” 

“I think that at this stormy time, it is important for our region to send a message of cooperation, of goodwill and of standing together against threats and building bridges to peace,” he said on the tarmac at Ben-Gurion Airport.  

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WNU Editor: The Bahrain Crown Prince will be visiting Israel .... Bahrain FM says crown prince accepts invitation to visit Israel (Times of Israel). 

 Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett Makes Historic Visit To Bahrain  

Israeli leader, Naftali Bennett, Meets Bahrain Counterpart, Signaling Regional Shift -- New York Times  

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett makes first visit to Bahrain amid Iran tensions -- Washington Post Israeli leader makes historic visit to Bahrain -- The Hill  

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett becomes first Israeli leader to visit Bahrain -- UPI  

Israeli PM Bennett meets Bahrain king, crown prince in Manama -- Al Jazeera  

Wrapping up visit, Bennett says Bahrain clearly seeking closer ties with Israel -- Times of Israel 

Israeli Prime Minister Bennett wraps up historic visit to Bahrain -- DW

Israeli Defence Minister Signs Security Memorandum With Bahrain

 

Times Of Israel: Israel signs security memorandum with Bahrain, its 2nd with an Arab nation 

Defense minister Gantz meets king, crown prince during visit to Manama as two countries shore up ties amid growing threats from Iran 

MANAMA, Bahrain — Defense Minister Benny Gantz signed a memorandum of understanding with his Bahraini counterpart on Thursday, formalizing the security relationship after the Gulf country normalized ties with Israel a year and a half ago. 

Following the signing, the defense minister met with Bahraini Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and then with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. 

According to Gantz’s office, the memorandum of understanding “will help advance intelligence cooperation, a framework for exercises, and cooperation between the countries’ defense industries.”  

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WNU Editor: This is how it is being interpreted in the Middle East .... A few hundred kms from Iran, Israel sends message with Gantz's visit to Bahrain (Jerusalem Post). 

Israeli Defence Minister Signs Security Memorandum With Bahrain  

Israel, Bahrain sign new defense memo in signal toward Iran -- AP 

Israel defence minister signs security agreement with Bahrain -- Reuters  

Defense Minister Gantz signs historic MoU with Bahrain -- Jerusalem Post  

Gantz meets Bahrain king, signs defense cooperation agreement -- YNet News

Israel And Bahrain Formalize Relations At A Ceremony In Manama

 

Axios: Israel and Bahrain sign agreement establishing diplomatic relations 

MANAMA, Bahrain — Israel and Bahrain signed an agreement on establishing diplomatic relations in Manama on Sunday, one month after a historic ceremony at the White House. 

Why it matters: The "joint communique on establishing peaceful and diplomatic relations" is an interim agreement on the path to a comprehensive peace treaty, paving the way for the two countries to open embassies and sign more cooperation agreements. 

The state of play: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House envoy Avi Berkowitz were in attendance at the signing alongside Bahrain's foreign minister and Israel's national security adviser.

 * Mnuchin and Berkowitz arrived in Manama together with an Israeli delegation on the first direct flight of an Israeli airliner to Bahrain — El Al Flight 973, a reference to Bahrain's telephone code. 

 * Israeli and Bahraini officials held talks for several hours and inked eight memorandums of understanding (MOU) on visas, trade, agriculture, investments, direct flights, finance and investments.

 * Mnuchin stood by as officials signed the MOUs alongside the agreement on diplomatic relations.

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 More News On Israel And Bahrain Formalizing Relations 

Israel, Bahrain sign deal establishing formal ties -- AP 

History in the making: Joint US-Israeli delegation arrives in Bahrain ahead of the official establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries -- Daily Mail 

Trump envoy hopes Israeli-Arab peace deals will continue whatever the U.S. election result -- Reuters Mnuchin joins Israeli delegation in Bahrain to formally normalize relations -- The Hill 

Israel and Bahrain formalise relations at ceremony in Manama -- Al Jazeera

President Trump Announces Bahrain Will Recognize Israel And Establish Relations

Daily Mail: Donald Trump announces another Middle Eastern country will recognize Israel - with Bahrain joining United Arab Emirates in establishing ties with Jerusalem

* Tiny Gulf kingdom of Bahrain becomes second Arab country to recognize Israel this year, following the United Arab Emirates last month
* Donald Trump hailed it in the Oval Office as an historic breakthrough and credited Jared Kushner for the move
* Trump announced agreement after a three-way phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
* Diplomatic win for Trump less than two months before the the presidential election is opportunity to shore up support among pro-Israel evangelicals
* Last week, Trump announced agreements in principle for Kosovo to recognize Israel and for Serbia to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem

Bahrain has become the latest Arab nation to agree to normalize ties with Israel as part of a broader diplomatic push by President Donald Trump and his administration to fully integrate the Jewish state into the Middle East.

Trump announced the agreement on Friday, following a three-way phone call he had with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The three leaders also issued a brief six-paragraph joint statement, attesting to the deal.

'Another HISTORIC breakthrough today!' Trump tweeted.

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WNU Editor: The Palestinians are condemning this agreement .... 'Treacherous stab': Palestinians condemn Israel-Bahrain deal (Al Jazeera).

More News On President Trump Announcing Bahrain Will Recognize Israel And Establish Relations

Bahrain becomes latest Arab nation to recognize Israel -- AP
Bahrain follows Emirates in normalizing ties with Israel -- Reuters
Trump announces Bahrain, Israel 'peace deal' -- France 24
Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain to establish 'full diplomatic relations,' Trump says -- CNN
Trump says Bahrain agrees to normalize relations with Israel -- Reuters
Trump announces 'peace deal' between Bahrain and Israel -- BBC
Trump announces deal between Israel and Bahrain to normalize relations -- USA Today
Trump announces deal between Bahrain, Israel to normalize relations in push for Mideast peace -- FOX News
Bahrain to follow UAE in normalizing relations with Israel, Trump announces -- RT
Bahrain to normalize ties with Israel -- DW
Bahrain King reiterates necessity for peace based on two state solution after Israel normalization agreement -- Reuters
Israel premier announces normalisation deal with Bahrain -- France 24
Israel and Bahrain agree to establish full diplomatic ties -- Al Jazeera
Israel, Bahrain Agree to Normalize Relations -- Sputnik
Bahrain-Israel normalisation shows peace is way to Palestinian rights - official -- Reuters
UAE congratulates Bahrain and Israel on normalisation: foreign ministry -- Reuters

Israel, Bahrain Foreign Ministers Meet To Talk Regional Threats And Bilateral Ties

Foreign Minister Israel Katz and his Bahraini counterpart Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa (R) pose for a photograph at the State Department in Washington on July 17, 2019. (Courtesy)

Times of Israel: Israel, Bahrain foreign ministers talk Iran in groundbreaking public meet

Israel Katz and Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa pose for picture, discuss regional threats and bilateral ties; US envoy calls rare meeting ‘tremendous progress’.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz met his Bahraini counterpart for talks on Iran in Washington and the two posed for a rare photograph, marking what Jerusalem said was a boost in ties with the Gulf nation.

The photo of Katz and Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, which was posted on Twitter Thursday by US Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt and later shared by Katz as well, was taken at a State Department event on religious freedom. It marked the rare instance in which a top Arab official is publicly documented meeting a senior Israeli figure.

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Update #1: Israeli Foreign Minister Katz meets Bahrani counterpart in Washington (Jerusalem Post)
Update #2: Israeli, Bahrain foreign ministers hold first public meeting in US (France 24)

WNU Editor: How times have changed. Such a public meeting would have been impossible a decade ago.

Hat tip to Fred for this story.