Bahrain premier calls Qatar ruler, in rare contact amid dispute
Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa give Ramadan greetings to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as Doha remains boycotted by neighbors
Bahrain’s long-serving prime minister has called Qatar’s emir to mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan in a rare contact between Doha and the countries boycotting it.
Bahrain’s state-run news agency acknowledged the call between Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in a report early Tuesday.
It described the call as “restricted” to Ramadan greetings.
However, the island nation of Bahrain off the coast of Saudi Arabia has served as a stalking horse for Gulf Arab nations in warming ties to Israel.
Bahrain, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have boycotted Doha over a political dispute since June 2017. The nations have banned their citizens from travel to or communication with the emirate over what they say are Doha’s ties to both Iran and radical Islamist groups.
Qatar rejects the charges and says the countries are seeking regime change in Doha.
On Monday, the UAE released a Qatari naval vessel and four sailors it seized nearly a week earlier.