Israel approves normalization with Bahrain, advances ties with Sudan
It was a rich diplomatic day in Israel, with the Knesset validating the normalization deal with Bahrain and an Israeli official delegation preparing to depart on Sunday to Sudan for rapprochement talks.
Israel’s parliament approved by an overwhelming majority tonight the normalization of ties with Bahrain. Sixty-two Knesset members voted in favor of normalization, while 14 from the Arab Joint List opposed. Almost 80 speakers took the podium prior to the vote. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "A strong Israeli brings other Arabs states closer to it. There will be more countries that will join the peace circle." Netanyahu hailed the US-mediated Abraham Accords and said that "Together we will stand as a wall opposite Iranian-led radical Islam." Hinting at more normalization deals with other Arab countries, Netanyahu said that members of the Joint List would get another chance to rectify their negative votes.
Also addressing the Knesset, Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said that his Bahraini counterpart, Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani, is planning to visit Israel in the near future. He will be the first minister of his country to visit Israel publicly.
The agreement will now return to the Cabinet to be validated.
In a parallel development, a first official business delegation of heads of business organizations in Israel is set to leave this week for Dubai. The delegation will include the president of the Association of Chambers of Commerce, the president of the Manufacturers’ Association and chairman of the Israel Agricultural Association. Its goal is to lay the groundwork for cooperation between the business sectors of the two countries.
