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Today, a Bahraini delegation made up of 40 high-ranking officials arrived in Israel for a two-day visit during which they will discuss issues related to economic exchange and tourism development among the new regional partners.
In mid-September, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed an agreement to normalize relations with Israel on the White House lawn.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi was scheduled to visit Bahrain this week, but diplomatic sources confirmed to “Agence France Presse” to cancel the visit, without providing further details.
The visit was canceled shortly after the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, which took place this Monday after his death from his injuries, following an operation directed at his convoy, which included a car bomb and shooting, on a highway in the city of Agosto in Damavand province, east of Tehran. Iran accused the “Mossad” agency of his murder.
Israeli diplomatic sources confirmed the arrival of Bahrain’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Zayed bin Rashid Al-Zayani, at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv this afternoon.
The delegation is scheduled to hold talks related to tourism and economic cooperation with Israel, before meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ashkenazi on Wednesday.
In turn, Israel’s Tourism Minister, Farkash HaCohen, announced today in a statement that he and his Bahraini counterpart will sign, on Wednesday, a bilateral memorandum of understanding on tourism that stipulates “the establishment of a joint forum to promote the tourist exchange “.
Minister Hacohen said that this memorandum will allow “the tens of thousands of tourists arriving from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates upon return from flights to explore Israel in the best possible way,” adding that “movement between countries is the key to peace “.
It is unclear if the delegation will visit Haram al-Sharif, the third holiest religious site for Muslims in East Jerusalem.
Palestinians who reject the normalization of Arab relations with Israel oppose such visits by Emiratis or Bahrainis to the campus.
