(Communicated by the MFA Spokesperson) 

Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabi Ashkenazi hosted the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, today (Wednesday, 18 November 2020) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem. FM Al-Zayani arrived for an historic first visit to Israel at the head of a delegation that included senior officials from the Bahraini Foreign Ministry as well as additional government ministries.

FM Ashkenazi welcomed his Bahraini counterpart, stating that after several months of phone conversations he was happy to meet him for the first time face to face. "This is an historic day for the Middle East, which has experienced monumental positive changes in recent months. We are actualizing the peace that all Israelis have dreamed of for so many years. We will work to ensure that Bahraini citizens are able to receive entry visas into Israel through a dedicated website from 1 December, as well as to establish direct flights between our two countries soon.”

During the course of the meeting, FM Al-Zayani submitted a memorandum stating the Bahraini government's approval of the establishment of an Israeli embassy in Manama, as well as an official Memorandum of Request to establish a Bahraini embassy in Israel, to Minister Ashkenazi.

In his statement to the press, the Bahraini Foreign Minister invited Minister Ashkenazi to the IISS Manama Dialogue security summit taking place in Bahrain in December.

FM Ashkenazi: "The Bahraini government's agreement to establish an Israeli embassy in Manama, and the memorandum to establish a Bahraini embassy in Israel is an historic moment for our countries. I thank the Foreign Minister for his invitation to visit Bahrain in early December, and hope that we will be able to inaugurate the embassy already during this visit.

"The Middle East has known too many conflicts and wars. This is the time for peace. I welcome the Palestinian decision to reinstate cooperation with Israel. Our hand is extended to peace, and the door is open to the renewal of negotiations. I call on the Palestinian leadership to return to the negotiating table without preconditions.”