Israel and Bahrain agree to open embassies

Shafaq News/ Israel and Bahrain will open embassies soon, their foreign ministers said on Wednesday, as the two countries look to broaden cooperation.

On a first official visit by Bahraini officials to Israel, the Gulf kingdom’s foreign minister, Abdullatif Al-Zayani, said his Israeli counterpart, Gabi Ashkenazi, would visit Manama in December.

“I was pleased to convey to Minister Ashkenazi the Kingdom of Bahrain’s formal request to open an embassy in Israel and to inform him that Israel’s reciprocal request for an embassy in Manama has been approved. This is a process which I hope can now move forward relatively quickly,” said Al-Zayani.

Ashkenazi, speaking at Israel’s foreign ministry with Al-Zayani, said he hoped the opening ceremonies would be held by the end of 2020.

Israeli and Bahraini officials signed several memoranda of understanding in October in Manama covering trade, air services, telecommunications, finance, banking and agriculture.

By the end of 2020 Bahraini citizens will be able to apply online for a visa to visit Israel, Ashkenazi said, and direct flights would start soon.

The Bahraini delegation travelled on Gulf Air flight GF972 - a reference to Israel’s telephone country code - on the airline’s first commercial flight to Tel Aviv.