Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani on 14 October in Azerbaijan. This encounter occurred during the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held in Baku. The summit serves as a platform for member states to coordinate on regional security and confidence-building measures, providing a venue for high-level bilateral discussions between participating nations.
During the session, the two officials reviewed diplomatic relations between their nations. President Isaac Herzog stated, "We discussed the friendship and ties between Israel and Bahrain, as well as the importance of the US-led Abraham Accords in strengthening security, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East." The discussion focused on the regional impact of these agreements and the ongoing cooperation between the two states. The meeting in Baku notes the continued communication channels between the Israeli presidency and the Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Diplomatic History of Abraham Accords
Israel and Bahrain normalized relations in 2020 through the Abraham Accords. This diplomatic process established formal ties between the two nations following agreements involving the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Sudan. The 2020 agreement served as the foundational framework for the current diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
The progression of these relations continued when Bahrain sent its first ambassador to Israel in August 2021. This appointment marked the next phase of the bilateral exchange after the initial normalization agreement. The arrival of the ambassador facilitated a more direct line of communication between the two governments, moving beyond the initial signing of the accords to active, day-to-day diplomatic representation.
Israel opened an embassy in Manama in September 2021 to support ongoing diplomatic activity in the region. The mission functions as the primary base for Israeli diplomatic operations within Bahrain. These actions solidified the structure of the relationship created by the 2020 accords, ensuring that both nations maintained a physical presence in each other’s capitals to manage bilateral interests.
High Level Engagement and Tensions
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett became the first Israeli official to visit Bahrain in 2022. This visit served as a significant step in the bilateral engagement between the two nations following the normalization process. The visit by Naftali Bennett was intended to deepen the strategic partnership and explore new avenues for cooperation in various sectors.
Bahrain’s parliament announced the suspension of trade ties with Israel and the recall of its ambassador in November 2023. This parliamentary move occurred amid regional developments related to the conflict in Gaza. However, the government of Bahrain did not ratify the decision, and official diplomatic status remained officially unchanged despite the parliamentary announcement. Consequently, the diplomatic framework established by the Abraham Accords has persisted, with both nations continuing to navigate the complexities of their bilateral relationship throughout the subsequent period. The meeting in Baku serves as a reaffirmation of the diplomatic ties that have been maintained despite the parliamentary actions of November 2023.
