London
US President Donald Trump said on Friday Bahrain will normalise ties with Israel. Trump tweeted out the news after he spoke via phone to Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said.
A joint statement issued by the three leaders said the two nations had agreed on “establishment of full diplomatic relations between Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain.”
The statement added: “This is a historic breakthrough to further peace in the Middle East. Opening direct dialogue and ties between these two dynamic societies and advanced economies will continue the positive transformation of the Middle East and increase stability, security, and prosperity in the region.” Netanyahu hailed the agreement as marking a “new era of peace.”
On August 13, the UAE and Israel agreed to normalize ties under a US-brokered agreement which is scheduled to be signed on Sept. 15.
Friday’s deal makes Bahrain the fourth Arab country to reach such an agreement with Israel since exchanging embassies with Egypt and Jordan decades ago, reports Arab News.
Last week, Bahrain said it would allow flights between Israel and the UAE to use its airspace.
In a press statement, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani said that the Gulf country stresses the importance of intensifying efforts to reach a just solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Al Zayani added that peace is a strategic option to end the conflict in a just manner in accordance with international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
The foreign minister said that the peace agreement between Bahrain and Israel will contribute to security and stability in the region whilst ensuring that the rights of the Palestinians are protected.
He added that the UAE-Israel agreement to normalize relations between the two countries has contributed to stopping the annexation of Palestinian land.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Bahrain and Israel held a phone call on Saturday, Bahrain News Agency reported. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and Gabi Ashkenazi’s phone call came a day after their countries agreed to normalize relations.
The foreign ministers congratulated each other on the historic agreement and stressed the need to move relations forward in a way that promotes peace and stability in the region.
