Israel Defense Minister Benny Gantz was in Bahrain this week. To call his visit to the small Gulf kingdom a success would be an understatement.
In addition to bolstering diplomatic ties and signing a defense coordination agreement between the two nations, Gantz also addressed the US Fifth Fleet headquartered in Bahrain, thus sending a clear message to nearby Iran.
Signaling that these warming relations run much deeper than the government level, Bahrain’s media was full of positive coverage of Gantz’s visit.
The English-language Gulf Daily News even published a short op-ed by the Israeli defense minister. In it, Gantz wrote the people of Bahrain:
“Generations of visionary monarchs in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia sought a means to nurture and solidify the bond between the two kingdoms. They manifested their bond via a physical link – the ‘King Fahad Causeway’… It is an honour to visit the great Kingdom of Bahrain this week – the first official visit by the leader of Israel’s defence establishment. Although I did not come with an architect’s blueprint, I did come with the intention of building a conceptual bridge between Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain – the ‘Abraham Causeway.’
“Just a little over a year ago, the courageous leaders of Bahrain, UAE, Israel, the US and our partners, drew up the Abraham Accords – the document that reshaped hope in the Middle East. A piece of paper with the scribbles and hopes of leaders, forged new ties between people, and opened the gates for economic growth, tourism, scientific and academic exchanges…
“We are forging a spiritual and cultural bond. It starts with the kingdom’s legacy of tolerance and integration of its small, yet thriving Jewish community, and it has evolved way beyond the island’s borders. A powerful example took place last week – I was deeply moved to hear of the Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony hosted by the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence. As the son of Holocaust survivors, such a gesture is so powerful in symbolising the growing closeness between our people.
“During this week’s visit, we have taken a historic step and built another layer in our bond. With the blessing of His Majesty, my Bahraini counterpart Minister Nuaimi and I, signed a landmark defence cooperation agreement between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Israel. This agreement formalises our defence relations…
“Our region is becoming increasingly volatile. …Just as the State of Israel reserves the right to secure its citizens, assets and territory, so do we stand by our partners and support their right to defend their sovereignty and security.
“As I prepare to depart from the kingdom and look out at the magnificent skyscrapers and beautiful landscapes, I imagine the Causeway. I see two nations shaping their shared future. Now is the time to work together, to ensure that our people can prosper in peace and stability. Now is the time for the ‘Abraham Causeway’ – a bridge of peace, friendship and security between the State of Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain.”
“Many Muslim Indonesians Love Israel”
Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump Visit Israel, Pray at Western Wall in Jerusalem
Making Israeli History in the Persian Gulf
Trump’s Snowball Effect on Mideast Peace
United Arab Emirates Investing in Israeli Hi-Tech
Saudi Newspaper Appoints Rabbi as Regular Columnist
Bennett Delights a Bride and Groom in …. Bahrain
ANALYSIS: Israeli-Saudi Normalization Next?
IDF Delegation Lands in Morocco for ‘African Lion’ Exercise
Abraham Accords Secure Strategic Middle East Alliances for Israel
Muslim-American Delegation Visits Israel, UAE in Support of Abraham Accords
An Arab Israeli Faces the Death Penalty in Dubai
“Exceptional Tolerance”: Why the UAE is Now a Second Home for Jews in the Mideast
ANALYSIS: Peace in The Middle East?
Israeli Cyber-Security in the Gulf
Israel, United Arab Emirates Ratify Major Free Trade Agreement
Iraqi Kurdish Journalist: ‘I Feel at Home in Israel’
Out and About in the New Middle East
Kuwaiti Journalist Fired for Tweeting With Israel Today Reporter
Arab Media Slams Palestinians as “Ungrateful”
Summit in the Desert
Treaties Aside, There Remain Obstacles to True Peace
Scandal Over Netanyahu’s Cancelled Trip to Abu Dhabi
UPDATE: UAE Cancels Participation in Israeli Independence Day Fly-Over
ANALYSIS: How the US is complicating Saudi-Israel normalization
Israel President Herzog to Visit UAE
WATCH: IDF Honor Guard Welcomes Arab Ambassador
Is Saudi Arabia Courting the State of Israel?
Moving Message From Bahrain to Israel
Bahrain Expected Netanyahu to Win, Will Continue Building Ties
Israel, UAE Join Forces to Save Endangered Desert Bird
How Did the Muslim World Responded to Recent Terror Attacks in Israel?
ANALYSIS: The Abraham Accords and Israel’s Longtime Peace Partners
A Historic Visit
The three-way summit and the fear of further normalization
Muslim Nations Join Israel in Chess Match
The Middle East is Fundamentally Changed
Israel Restores “Ancient Friendship” With Morocco
“Zionist Imam” Addresses Hajj in Mecca, Sparking Hope of Peace
Kuwait’s Quirky Antisemitism Continues Unabated
Shameful: Arab Journalists Blacklisted for Supporting Israel-UAE Deal
War and Peace
God’s Problem With Covenants
Historic Peace Treaty or Preparation for the Antichrist?
Israel Celebrates Peace With Morocco
“Write good things about Trump. He’s the King of the Jews!”
Bennett Concludes Landmark Visit to the UAE
”A Gift to Israel” – Arabs Bicker Over Israeli President’s UAE Visit
First UAE Ambassador Arrives in Israel
ANALYSIS: Will the Stealth Revolution in Saudi Arabia Lead to Peace With Israel?
President Herzog Lands in Abu Dhabi
Live Discussion: Dawn of a New Middle East?
Arab League Versus the Palestinian Authority
Israel’s Isolation in the Middle East Has Definitively Ended
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett Arrives in Bahrain
Biden’s Road to Riyadh Runs Through Jerusalem
Palestinians: “Unless We Change Our Thinking, We Will Lose Again”
Showing – the Fatal Flaw in the Abraham Accords
“Israel wants peace with its neighbors. The Middle East is our home.”
Netanyahu Is a ‘Man of Peace,’ Say Gulf Arabs
Second Deal in 29 Days: Bahrain Normalizes With Israel
Policymakers, diplomats reflect on Abraham Accords three years later
Sovereignty may be the price for normalization with Riyadh
ANALYSIS: Israel’s new railway and normalisation with Saudi Arabia
Israel Welcomes First University Student From the UAE
‘Like Abraham Smashing False Idols’
Arab World Shocked by Israel-Morocco Defense Pact
Peace With Israel Plays Major Role in Libya Election
Walking Israel’s Tightrope Between Tolerance and Terror
Exclusive: Robert Spencer on the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict and the Abraham Accords
“It’s time to make peace with Israel,” says vocal Muslim
ANALYSIS: Israel Making Progress in Peace Process With Arab Countries
Direct Flight From Morocco to Israel
Jews in Dubai Are Safer Than in Europe
“Tell them you’re Israelis – you’ll get better treatment!”
Arab Zionism: The Fall-Out From the Abraham Accords
Palestinians Admit: Netanyahu Put Us In Our Place
“God created us to live in peace”
Arab Views on the Holocaust Post-Abraham Accords
My Struggles for Bangladesh-Israel Relations
ANALYSIS: Israel-Saudi Rapprochement on the Horizon
Mister Universe
The Disgraceful Disruption of the Abraham Accords
Water for Electricity: Israel and Jordan Strike a Deal
Gulf States Demand Palestinians Apologize
EXCLUSIVE: Head of the Gulf Jewish Communities Speaks to Israel Today
Resistance or Stability: How the Abraham Accords Altered the Game
Sudan Coup Brought It Closer to Israel
How Israel Became a Role Model for Arab States
“Imagine Israel’s Iron Dome Protecting Saudi Arabia from Iran”
EXCLUSIVE: Daniel Pipes on the Future of Political Islam and Arab-Israeli Peace
Students From Abraham Accords Countries to Learn Hi-Tech in Israel
Bennett in the UAE – the Abraham Accords Are For Real
Arabs Hail “Warm Peace” as Israeli Delegation Heads to Bahrain
Warming Hearts and Building Middle East Peace
First-Ever Jewish School to Open in Dubai
Senior UAE Royal Calls Israeli Medical Treatment “Best I’ve Received”
Why Did Bahrain Make Peace With Israel?
Israel’s New Government Reaches Out to Arab Neighbors
The Palestinians are Furious: Three Peace Treaties in Six Weeks
Iraq Slams the Door on Abraham Accords With New Anti-Israel Law
Israel Today Membership
Monthly Membership
Yearly Membership
Save 18% Per Month.
Six Months Membership
Save 9% Per Month.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Only members can read and write comments.