Isaac Herzog, the President of Israel, met with Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani, the Foreign Minister of Bahrain, during his visit to Azerbaijan on Wednesday. This meeting took place on the sidelines of the seventh conference of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku.
Details of the Meeting
In this meeting, Herzog described the encounter as "excellent" and highlighted the importance of friendship and relations between Israel and Bahrain. He also emphasized the role of the Abraham Accords, led by the United States, in strengthening security, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East. These accords led to the normalization of relations between Israel and Bahrain and other countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Sudan, in 2020.
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During this meeting, the two officials also discussed recent regional developments, but no further details were provided. This meeting comes at a time when relations between the two countries have been strained since October 7 due to the Hamas attack and the war in Gaza.
Background of Bahrain-Israel Relations
Bahrain and Israel normalized their diplomatic relations in 2020 under the Abraham Accords. This relationship reached a new stage with the arrival of Bahrain's first ambassador to Israel in August 2021 and the opening of the Israeli embassy in Manama in September 2021. Naftali Bennett, the former Prime Minister of Israel, was the first Israeli official to visit Bahrain in 2022.
In November 2023, the Bahraini parliament announced that it had suspended its trade relations with Israel and recalled its ambassador. However, the Manama government did not endorse the parliament's decision, indicating the complexities in the relations between the two countries.
Future Outlook
The meeting between Herzog and Alzayani occurs amid rising tensions in the Middle East and particularly in relations between Israel and Arab countries, especially following recent developments. This meeting could be seen as a step towards repairing relations and strengthening cooperation between Israel and Bahrain. However, future developments and internal reactions in both countries may influence the course of these relations.
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