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Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Asharq Al-Awsat

Israeli Prime Minister Flies to Bahrain in First Visit

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett chairs the weekly cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem February 13, 2022. (Reuters)

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett flew to Bahrain on Monday in the highest-level visit since the countries established relations under a 2020 US-sponsored deal.

Bennett will meet with Bahraini Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, his office said.

"The leaders will discuss additional ways to strengthen bilateral ties ... especially the advancement of diplomatic and economic issues, with an emphasis on technology and innovation," it said in a statement.

The two-day trip to Bahrain, home to the U. Navy's Gulf headquarters, comes amid heightened tensions after missile attacks on the neighboring United Arab Emirates by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militias. Israel also normalized ties with the UAE in 2020.

Speaking to reporters before take-off, Bennett said he hoped the visit would be a "message of goodwill ... and a shared stance against common threats".

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