Israel, Bahrain establish diplomatic relations at a ceremony in Manama
Israel’s Foreign Ministry Director General Alon Ushpiz and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani signed yesterday a joint communique for the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Israel and Bahrain announced Oct. 18 that they have made peace and established formal diplomatic relations. The ceremony took place in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, where officials from both sides signed eight bilateral agreements. These included a joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic, peaceful and friendly relations, which was signed by Israel’s Foreign Ministry Director General Alon Ushpiz and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin represented the Trump administration at the ceremony.
Reportedly, the joint communique contains a promise by both countries not to take hostile action against each other. It does not include any reference to the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Still, Zayani said in his speech at the ceremony, “The Palestinian question must be solved through direct negotiations between the two sides to reach a solution that satisfies both parties and brings about a two-state solution, according to the principles of the Arab Peace Initiative and the relevant international law."
Related: Check out Ben Caspit's interview with Ushpiz in the latest episode of On Israel podcast
The document is not legally a treaty, but rather a “framework agreement,” as Israeli officials put it. However, the signatures of both Israel and Bahrain mean that diplomatic relations have been formally established.
