Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met on Tuesday in Manama with the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, at his private palace. Bennett arrived in Bahrain late on Monday night on the first-ever trip made to Bahrain by an Israeli prime minister and comes after an invitation by the prime minister made late last year.
“This is a historic day to host the Prime Minister of Israel here in Bahrain. Due to his determination and leadership, it was a fruitful and successful visit in the context of a joint effort for the benefit of the two peoples. Thank you for coming here, ” the king said at the end of the visit, according to a readout from the Prime Minister’s Office.
“Your Excellency, it is a great honor to visit this wonderful Bahrain kingdom. I admire your courage and determination to build your country. I think we discussed many ways to build new bridges and architecture for a stronger and more stable area. I look forward to continuing the excellent relationship between us. In Hebrew they say ‘with the help of God,’ and in Arabic they say ‘Inshallah’ (God willing),” Bennett said after the meeting.
Bennett met earlier with Bahrain’s prime minister, Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa. He also met with senior members of the Bahraini government.
Bahrain normalized relations with Israel by signing on to the US-backed Abraham Accords in 2022.