‘A bridge to new destinations’: In op-ed for Bahrain paper, Gantz lauds growing ties
Defense minister says security MOUs will allow both nations to defend ‘common interests’ and boost regional stability
In an op-ed published by Bahraini media over the weekend, Defense Minister Benny Gantz praised the burgeoning ties between Israel and Bahrain following his visit to the Gulf kingdom last week.
The article — titled “The Abraham Causeway” in a nod to the King Fahad Causeway, a series of bridges and roads connecting the Gulf kingdom to Saudi Arabia — was published in Bahrain’s English-language newspaper Gulf Daily News Friday following Gantz’s visit to Bahrain in recent days.
“It is an honor to visit the great Kingdom of Bahrain this week — the first official visit by the leader of Israel’s defense establishment, in the Gulf country. 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,'” he wrote in the article.
In the op-ed, Gantz commended the “bravery” of the rulers of Bahrain and the UAE for joining the US-backed Abraham Accords, which saw Israel agree to normalize its relations with the two Gulf states, as well as with Sudan and Morocco.
The accords, he said, “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.”
Since that moment, “Israel and Bahrain, two small countries with big spirits, signed eight MoUs that touch on finance, agriculture, aviation and other civilian fields, and that will benefit both nations immensely. Just a year ago, Gulf Air flights to Tel Aviv were but a dream — and now I hope to see them filled with visitors.
Gantz said that the relations “are not merely transactional,” as the nations seek to forge “a spiritual and cultural bond.”
This “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 Center for Peaceful Coexistence. As the son of holocaust survivors, such a gesture is so powerful in symbolizing the growing closeness between our people.”
During his visit, Gantz signed a memorandum of understanding on security cooperation with his Bahraini counterpart, Israel’s only second such agreement with an Arab nation, the first being with Morocco, which the defense minister signed late last year.
Commenting on the agreement, Gantz wrote that “From cooperation in counterterrorism, intelligence-sharing, and mil-to-mil engagements, to professional working groups and industrial exchanges – our MOU enables us to secure our nations and defend our common interests, while seeking stability for the region at large.”
“This agreement deepens our ties and acknowledges our shared vision of peace. And while we may share this vision together with our friends, and with our strongest ally, the United States, not all forces in the region see eye to eye. It is within this context, that our partnership is more vital than ever,” he added.
Gantz also wrote about regional challenges that Israel and Bahrain face, saying “our region is becoming increasingly volatile.”
“Organized militias across the Middle East, equipped with advanced weapons and funding, are conducting attacks on civilian facilities and targeting innocent lives. These are dangerous escalations that imperil the region’s peace and security,” he wrote.
“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 It is from this position that we can seek peace — in the case of Israel, that is expanding collaboration with our neighbors, deepening ties with Accord-signatories, pursuing new partnerships, and extending our hands to the Palestinians.”
Gantz finished the article with hopes that ties between Jerusalem and Manama will become more fruitful in the future.
“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,” he wrote.
“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. Maybe one day, in the not-so-far future, this bridge will lead us to new destinations.”
