Bahrain has appointed Khaled Yousif Al-Jalahma as head of its diplomatic mission to Israel, state news agency BNA reported on Tuesday following a deal to establish relations last year.
Al-Jalahma was previously director of the operations directorate at Bahrain's foreign ministry since 2017 and had also served as deputy chief of mission at the kingdom's embassy in the United States from 2009-2013.
The Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said that a team from Bahrain would arrive in Israel in the coming weeks to make the necessary arrangements for the Bahraini embassy, set to be located in Tel Aviv.
Al-Jalahma was approved after a conversation Sunday evening between Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif Al Zayani, where all the "relevant checks were made."
During that call, Ashkenazi also thanked Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for his courage and leadership in establishing full diplomatic relations with Israel, according to a foreign ministry statement.
Bahrain's move closely followed the United Arab Emirates' naming of an ambassador to Israel after the two Gulf Arab states signed agreements last September to normalize ties with Israel in U.S.-brokered deals.
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Bahrain FM Abdullatif Al Zayani and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the signing of the Abraham Accords at the White House in Sept. 2020
(Photo: AFP)
The three countries share common concerns about Iran over its nuclear program and its military actions in throughout the Middle East.
First published: 16:40, 03.30.21