Following normalizing ties, Bahrain appoints ambassador to occupation state of ‘Israel’
Bahrain and ‘Israel’ announced on Tuesday the appointment of the first-ever ambassador from Manama to the occupation state, ahead of Bahrain’s opening its embassy in the coming weeks.
The official Bahrain News Agency released a statement naming the new ambassador.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi also approved the announcement on Tuesday.
Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani appointed Khaled Yousif al-Jalahama to the position on Sunday.
Jalahama is the Director of Operations at Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry, and was deputy chief of mission at Bahrain’s Embassy to the US in 2009-2013.
HM King issues Decree 42/2021, establishing Bahrain’s diplomatic mission to #Israelhttps://t.co/3TYVQrkl3R pic.twitter.com/qAXEG6T2ge
— وزارة الخارجية 🇧🇭 (@bahdiplomatic) March 30, 2021
السيرة الذاتية لسعادة السفير خالد يوسف أحمد الجلاهمة، أول سفير لمملكة #البحرين لدى دولة #إسرائيل 🇧🇭🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/FWfsCXFz30
— وزارة الخارجية 🇧🇭 (@bahdiplomatic) March 30, 2021
“The Bahraini government’s decision to appoint an ambassador to Israel is another important step towards implementing the peace agreement and strengthening the ties between the countries,” Ashkenazi told al-Zayani, the Israeli statement read.
During the call with Al Zayani, Ashkenazi welcomed the Bahraini decision and thanked his counterpart for their “strong friendship, as well as for the courage and leadership of the King of Bahrain.”
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My friend, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, the opening of your embassy & appointment of the first Bahraini Ambassador to Israel prove the strong bond being forged between our countries. pic.twitter.com/BrowECdt8C— גבי אשכנזי – Gabi Ashkenazi (@Gabi_Ashkenazi) March 30, 2021
“In the coming weeks, a team from Bahrain will arrive in Israel to make the necessary arrangements,” the statement added.
‘Israel’ already had a secret diplomatic office in Manama, Bahrain’s capital, before normalization was announced, and it became an embassy operating in the open in recent months, Israeli media reported.
The UAE was the first country to agree to normalize ties with the occupation state under the Abraham Accords, a pact brokered by the United States, a move that was followed by Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
