Netanyahu says Israelis to attend Bahrain conference

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirms that Israelis will be present at the Bahrain economic peace workshop being held next week, and says Israel has secret ties with “most” Arab countries.

“In the open or in secret, we are in contact with many leaders from the Arab world and there are prodigious ties between Israel and Arab countries — with most Arab countries,” Netanyahu says at a memorial for those killed in the 1948 bombing of the Altalena arms ship.

He adds that he praises the US “for trying to bring a better future to the region” and calls the Bahrain meeting very important.

The US said Monday that no Israeli officials would be invited to the conference to keep it apolitical.

On Tuesday former general Yoav Mordechai said he was invited and would attend the conference.

Netanyahu also plays up a meeting in Jerusalem next week between Israeli National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat and his US and Russian counterparts John Bolton and Nikolay Patrushev.

“This is an extremely important summit for ensuring the stability of the region,” he says.