by Ariel Kahana , JNS and ILH Staff
In tripartite meeting with PM Netanyahu, Bahrain FM Al-Zayani in Jerusalem, US Secretary of State Pompeo says normalization agreements "tell malign actors like the Islamic Republic of Iran that their influence in the region is waning and that they are ever more isolated, and this shall forever be until they change their direction."
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| Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani speaks during a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Wednesday | Photo: Menahem Kahana / Pool via AP |
The normalization deals between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain are a victory for peace and religious freedom in the Middle East, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said ahead of a trilateral ceremony in Jerusalem with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani aimed at advancing the Abraham Accords.
Pompeo noted that "these agreements are important for so many reasons, important to the whole world. Indeed, as I travel the world, countries that you might not expect are thankful for the work that Bahrain, and the United Emirates, and Israel are now going to do together.
He said, "These agreements open up wonderful opportunities for commerce and economic development. Today I saw a beautiful Gulf Air commercial aircraft sitting out at the airport when I landed. They also tell – these agreements also tell malign actors like the Islamic Republic of Iran that their influence in the region is waning and that they are ever more isolated, and this shall forever be until they change their direction.
"They also advance religious freedom. Muslims will be able to more easily pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, thanks to the new flights through Abu Dhabi and Manama."
Pompeo added that the normalization agreements "set down a marker—a marker for the future of the Middle East" with "a common vision for peace, security, and prosperity."
In his remarks, Netanyahu said, "Three peace agreements in six weeks. I don't think it gets much better than that." He noted that "this is the first-ever official ministerial visit from the Kingdom of Bahrain to the State of Israel. It marks another important milestone on the road to peace between our two countries and peace in the region. The peace between Israel and Bahrain is built on solid foundations of mutual appreciation and shared interest. Like Israel, Bahrain respects the past while embracing the future. And we are unleashing a tremendously potent economic force and a force for peace for the benefit of both our peoples."
Netanyahu said that the tripartite meeting would enable "the free flow of ideas, innovators, entrepreneurs between Israel and Bahrain - both directions. And we are unleashing a tremendously potent economic force and a force for peace for the benefit of both our peoples. And we're not doing this in the distant future. We're doing it right now as we speak, and it's happening with astonishing speed. Israelis are flying to Bahrain. Bahrainis are flying to Israel. The sky is no longer the limit."
Netanyahu asked Al-Zayani to "convey to King Hamad my heartfelt admiration for his visionary and courageous leadership. In 2019, His Majesty hosted a regional economic summit that brought together Bahrainis, Israelis, Americans, representatives from across the Middle East and beyond. And I think that meeting, which was pooh-poohed at the time, was actually a harbinger of good things to come. It was a tremendously important step on our common path to reconciliation and peace. Today, King Hamad and I are building a bridge of peace that many others will cross in the future."
Al-Zayani, who was making his first official trip to Israel, said that he had been "greatly encouraged" by his meetings with President Reuven Rivlin and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi.
"As during last month's visit to Bahrain by National Security Advisor [Meir] Ben-Shabbat and US Treasury Secretary [Steve] Mnuchin, discussions continue to be productive, forward-looking, and held in a positive and constructive atmosphere. We definitely have something to work with, and I am optimistic for the future.
"During my meeting with President Rivlin, I conveyed the greetings of His Majesty King Hamad and the people of Bahrain to the president and people of Israel, looking forward to overcoming and rebuilding from the current COVID-19 pandemic, and underlining our readiness to cooperate on healthcare and post-pandemic recovery. With Prime Minister Netanyahu and Secretary Pompeo, I will be discussing how we can achieve the objective of the Abraham Accords in practical terms and underlining Bahrain's appreciation for the United States role in delivering them.
Al-Zayani said he was "thankful also for the condolences I received from the president and from the Foreign Minister Ashkenazi following the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and for their very kind words on the late prime minister's life and achievements."
He noted that "throughout all the meetings, it has been obvious the intention and keenness of all sides to ensure that the peace we are pursuing will be a warm peace that will deliver clear benefits to our peoples. We intend to focus on areas including trade, investment, entrepreneurship, tourism, banking, health, education, communication, technology and innovation, to name just a few."
Al-Zayani noted Bahrain looked forward "to the commencement of air services between Bahrain and Israel from the start of 2020. We will see up to – up to 14 weekly flights from Bahrain to Tel Aviv, and we'll add flights to Eilat and Haifa and up to five weekly cargo flights. To kickstart this process, I am happy to announce that commencing from the 1st of December, the e-visa system will be implemented in both Bahrain and Israel to allow for our citizens to travel freely between the two countries.
"In addition," he said, "we will soon witness the reciprocal opening of the two countries' embassies. It is through such foundational context that we begin to nurture and build the networks of investment, business, tourism, culture, and so much more that can further solidify and add value to our joint efforts. I am therefore confident that this emerging cooperation between Bahrain and Israel will pave the way to a dawn of peace for the entire Middle East.
"The peace we are pursuing will be a warm peace that will deliver clear benefits to our peoples," said Al-Zayani.
JNS.org contributed to this report.
Ariel Kahana , JNS and ILH Staff
Source: https://www.israelhayom.com/2020/11/19/bahraini-fm-israel-ties-will-pave-the-way-to-a-dawn-of-peace-for-the-entire-middle-east/
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