Bahrain rejects US pressure to normalize ties with Israel

Bahrain has said it is committed to a Palestinian state and has rejected US desire and pressure from Arab countries to normalize ties with Israel.

According to the details, after the historic agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, for his visit to the Middle East, which aims to improve relations with the Arab countries and the Zionist state.

However, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain told Mike Pompeo that his country was committed to the Arab peace process, which seeks the full withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territories in 1967 in exchange for the restoration of peaceful relations with Israel.

According to Bahrain’s state news agency BNA, the king called for intensifying efforts to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict under a two-state solution, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Pompeo said he hoped other countries would follow in the footsteps of the United Arab Emirates, which became the third Arab country to restore ties with Israel.

Bahrain has had relations with Israel since the 1990s and was the first Gulf country to welcome the UAE’s move and was expected to become the first to follow the UAE’s lead.

Like other Gulf states, Iran is a common enemy of Bahrain and Israel, where Bahrain has accused Iran of inciting the country’s Shiite community to protest against Bahrain’s ruling Sunni Khalifa family.

However, the UAE’s move to recognize Israel and restore relations was not well received by Arab countries and was criticized by most countries.

Bahrain has close ties with Saudi Arabia and without its blessings, there is no possibility of Bahrain recognizing Israel or resuming relations.

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Last week, Saudi Arabia announced it would not comply with the UAE’s move, saying it could not normalize relations with Israel unless the Zionist state signs an international peace agreement with Palestine.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told reporters during a visit to Germany that an international agreement with the Palestinians was a prerequisite for the resumption of relations with Israel, as the Palestinians must have peace.