Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdellatif al-Zayani arrived in Israel on Wednesday for the first official visit of the Gulf Kingdom.

First official visit of a Bahraini minister to Israel 

photo_camera PHOTO/REUTERS - Flags of Israel and Bahrain fly in Israel

On Wednesday 18 November, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdellatif al-Zayani was received at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport by his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi, according to a live broadcast on Israeli television. 

This is the first official visit to Israel by a minister of this Gulf monarchy, which intends to open embassies in both countries in the near future. Over the past few years, Israel has drawn closer to the Arab countries of the Gulf, all allies of the United States. 

"During our talks, we agreed to open an Israeli embassy in Manama and a Bahraini embassy in Israel as soon as possible. I hope that by the end of the year we will be able to hold ceremonies to mark these openings in both countries," the Israeli minister added, adding that from 1 December, Bahraini citizens will be able to apply online for visas to travel to Israel. The applications for the opening of an Israeli embassy in Bahrain and a Bahraini embassy in Israel have been "approved", confirmed Zayani, who expects the openings to take place "relatively quickly". 

The small kingdom of Bahrain, an Arab monarchy in the Gulf where the fifth US fleet is based, has become the fourth Arab country to normalise its relations with Israel, after the Emirates, Egypt and Jordan.  

Zayani is scheduled to meet later in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US diplomat Mike Pompeo, who arrived in Tel Aviv in the afternoon for a two-day visit to Israel, during which he also plans to visit a settlement in the occupied West Bank, according to Israeli press reports. 

However, in the ranks of the Republican Party, they have not yet admitted the Democratic victory. A few days ago, Mike Pompeo drew the attention of the media by saying that "the transition to a second administration of the Atout will be smooth", after being consulted by a journalist. Moments later, he softened his comment, indicating that "the State Department would be functional and successful with the chief taking office on 20 January 2021. 

All Jewish settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are considered illegal by most of the international community. Their continued expansion under successive Netanyahu-led governments has proven to be one of the greatest obstacles to the peace process with the Palestinians. 

"A high-ranking Bahraini delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abdellatif al-Zayani, will travel to Tel Aviv on Wednesday 18 November 2020 for an official visit," reported the Bahraini news agency BNA. The visit aims to "affirm Bahrain's firm and permanent position in favour of the peace process" and to "highlight the economic opportunities and bilateral agreements with Israel", he added. 

 The normalisation of relations with the Jewish state is also seen as an economic opportunity for the Gulf monarchies which are highly dependent on oil and want to develop other sectors, including technology. 

"This is the first official visit of a Bahraini delegation to Israel and therefore a historic day for the Middle East," Ashkenazi said at a joint press briefing in Jerusalem, calling Minister Zayani a "good friend" and "partner". 

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