Haaretz: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Using Bahrain as Trial Balloon, Manama Races for Warmer Ties with «Israel»
Local Editor
Haaretz daily wrote Monday that relations are warming between Bahrain and “Israel”.
In this context, the daily cited the example of the “Israeli” delegation that visited “the Gulf island of Bahrain for an international conference organized by UNESCO [the United Nations agency dealing with cultural heritage].”
According to the daily, Bahrain chose a different policy from Arabs. “Its decision to allow the “Israeli” delegation in to attend the UNESCO conference serves the tiny kingdom’s international interests, but it could also signal a shift with regard to its treatment of “Israel”.”
Experts in Washington told Haaretz that even though official relations between the two aren’t “around the corner,” ties are indeed getting warmer.
One notable sign of Bahrain’s changing approach toward “Israel” came in May. Bahrain’s foreign minister, Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, defended Tel Aviv, writing on his Twitter account that ““Israel”, like any other country, has a right to defend itself against Iranian aggression.”
“This was an incredible statement and a sign of the new realities emerging in the Middle East,” a senior official in the Trump administration told Haaretz last month.
The tweet, the official emphasized, was an independent Bahraini initiative and not a result of any American involvement.
“Why is Bahrain the most courageous of all the Gulf countries when it comes to “Israel”?” asks a former senior “Israeli” official. “It’s a combination of a number of factors: First, Iran is seen in Bahrain as a threat not just on the regional level but also internally – the country has a majority Shia population, yet its leadership is Sunni. They are constantly worried about Iran trying to destabilize their government.”
In addition, said the former official, “It seems sometimes like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are using Bahrain – which is allied with them but is smaller and less influential – to do ‘trial balloons’ regarding foreign policy. It’s true with regard to the three countries’ rivalry with their neighbor Qatar, and also with regard to 'Israel'.”
In May, the Bahraini Embassy in Washington hosted a traditional Iftar dinner, celebrating the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Two of the three speakers at the event were American religious leaders who are strong supporters of “Israel”. The first was Rabbi Marc Schneier, who spoke openly in front of the embassy’s staff and guests about Bahrain’s attempts to get closer to “Israel”, and complimented Bahrain’s leadership for those efforts.
The second speaker was Rev. Johnnie Moore, an evangelical Christian leader who made headlines in “Israel” and Bahrain last December after leading a delegation of influential Bahraini citizens on a special trip to “Israel”.
The Bahraini Embassy also invited Haaretz correspondent to attend the event, fully aware that Haaretz is an “Israeli” newspaper. Bahrain’s ambassador to the United States, Abdullah bin Rashed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, told Haaretz that his country hopes to see progress in the so-called “peace process”.
Moore told Haaretz in a separate interview that “if the world and the region knew half of what’s going on between Bahrainis and “Israelis” – not necessarily on the government level, but in individual business relationships – people would feel there is a certain inevitability to at some point normalizing diplomatic relations between the two..”
According to Moore, “There are many cooperation that are happening all the time. Most of them are kept secret.”
Source: Haaretz, Edited by website team
