In particular, in the economic and tourism field

Bahrain's Economy Minister continues his visit to Israel to strengthen ties

photo_camera PHOTO/REUTERS - Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism of Bahrain, Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamín Netanyahu, received the Bahraini Minister of Economy and Tourism, Zayed bin Rashid al-Zayani, who is making an official visit to Israel on Wednesday, during which both countries are seeking to strengthen their ties in the economic and tourism fields.

The normalisation of relations between this Gulf monarchy and Israel-signed in September with the Abraham Agreements-"is flourishing in many ways", and will bring "economic benefits that were unimaginable just a few months ago", Netanyahu said.

Mr Al-Zayani-who has been in Israel since yesterday-appreciated the welcome he received, expressed his satisfaction at the rapid rapprochement between the two countries and stressed that this is the second official visit by the Bareini government in only two weeks, after the one paid in mid-November by the foreign minister, Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani.

"The diplomatic basis has been laid" for relations between the two countries, and now it is time to "move forward and forge peace through the direct and constant inclusion" of their "business sectors", the Bareinian minister stated at a joint press conference with Netanyahu.

Al-Zayani met earlier with the Israeli Foreign Minister, Gabi Ashkenazi. The latter specified that the two countries are working "to sign additional agreements in the near future" in areas such as sport, culture and science, and announced that in the coming days "a special economic team" will be set up to "maximise the business potential" of their normalisation of relations.

"We all dream that we will soon see businessmen and tourists visiting our countries freely," said Ashkenazi, who wanted to travel, also "soon", to Baréin to inaugurate the Israeli Embassy there.

Al-Zayani is accompanied by a delegation of businessmen, including senior officials from Gulf Air and the Baréin Travel and Tourism Association, who are expected to advance agreements with their Israeli counterparts regarding the establishment of travel packages, tourism initiatives and direct flights between the two countries.

Al-Zayani and the Israeli Minister of Tourism, Orit Farkash-Hacohen, plan to sign a bilateral agreement to promote mutual tourism, a further step towards strengthening their increasingly close ties.

This progress follows the signing of the Abraham Agreements in September, whereby the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain established diplomatic relations with Israel, breaking the hitherto Arab consensus not to do so until the country reached a peace agreement with the Palestinians leading to the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

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