Israeli PM Bennett lands in Bahrain on first visit

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has arrived in Bahrain’s capital Manama in the highest-level visit since the countries established relations under a 2020 US-sponsored deal based in part on shared worries about Iran.

Bennett will meet with Bahraini Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, his office said before he landed in the Gulf state on Monday. “The leaders will discuss additional ways to strengthen bilateral ties … especially the advancement of diplomatic and economic issues, with an emphasis on technology and innovation,” it said in a statement.

The two-day trip to Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s Gulf headquarters, comes amid heightened tensions after missile attacks on the neighbouring United Arab Emirates by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Israel also normalised ties with the UAE in 2020.

Speaking to reporters before takeoff, Bennett said he hoped the visit would be a “message of goodwill … and a shared stance against common threats”. Israel has stepped up cooperation with the Gulf states. Manama hosted Israel’s defence minister on February 2 and has said an Israeli military officer will be posted in Bahrain as part of an international coalition. —AP