Formalization of Relations: Bahraini Delegation on Official Visit to Israel

(Patria) – The first official delegation of the Bahraini government to Israel departed on Wednesday on the first commercial Gulf Air flight to Tel Aviv.

This visit is planned as part of efforts to establish closer cooperation after the two countries established formal relations in September, thanks to US mediation.

The Gulf Air plane on flight GF972, which is the country code for Israel, took off from Manama airport on Wednesday morning with a delegation led by Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani.

Also on the same flight is Middle East envoy of President Trump, Avi Berkowitz, who is leading the US delegation to Bahrain and Israel, as he confirmed himself via Twitter.

Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates established formal ties with Israel on September 15, signing agreements at the White House, which is acting as a mediator in the process of restoring formal diplomatic relations between Arab countries and Israel. They will be joined by Sudan, which has also announced it will formalize relations with Israel.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is currently in Israel. The British Guardian writes that a joint meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and the delegations from Bahrain and the US is planned.