Israel welcomes Bahraini FM’s call for closer ties

Israel’s foreign ministry welcomes the comments this week by Bahrain’s foreign minister in interviews with The Times of Israel and Israeli television channels in which he said Israel was part of the Middle East and that he hoped for peace with the Jewish state.

“We welcome Bahrain FM Shaikh Khalid Al Khalifa’s decision to openly share his views with the Israeli media. The positive comments that were expressed in the interview are very encouraging and offer hope for closer ties bilaterally & a peaceful future for our region,” the ministry says in a statement.

Ministry spokesperson Emmanuel Nahshon adds, speaking to The Times of Israel: “I’ll be overjoyed to host a delegation of Bahraini journalists and show them Israel. Direct contact is the key to peace.”

— Raphael Ahren