Bahrain, Israel ink joint communique to establish diplomatic ties, boost economic activity

(Karachi) Bahrain and Israel signed a joint communique in a bid to formalize ties during a visit by an Israeli and U.S. delegation to Manama, local media reported on Monday. The aim of the pact is to broaden cooperation and boost economic activities between Israel and the gulf state.

The documents were inked by Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani and Israel's National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat while U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin witnessed the signing agreement. Both sides agreed to establish diplomatic relations.

Earlier, the peace deal known as the "Abraham Accord” was struck between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

The initiative aimed to herald a dramatic shift in Middle East power dynamics and give the US president a boost ahead of the November election. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed agreements with Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani.

The deals make them the third and fourth Arab states to take such steps to normalize ties since Israel signed peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.

The pact resulted in protests in Palestine, Bahrain and UAE as thousands of protesters took to streets shouting anti-US and Anti-Israel slogans. The peace pact has been widely criticized mostly by heads of Muslim states who see it as a conspiracy to create rifts and harm unity among the Muslim world.

As part of the agreement, Israel will suspend applying sovereignty to areas of the West Bank that it planned to annex. The peace deal was struck after several discussions were held between the officials of Israel, UAE and the United States.