Bahrain's first ambassador to Israel arrived at the Jewish state on Tuesday, nearly one year since the signing of the Abraham Accords which established diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Khaled Yousef al-Jalahmah landed at Ben Gurion International Airport, where he was greeted by Gil Haskel, chief of state protocol at Israel's Foreign Ministry.
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Gil Haskel, chief of state protocol at Israel's Foreign Ministry, welcomes Bahraini ambassador Khaled Yousef al-Jalahmah at Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday
(Photo: Foreign Ministry)
“The opportunity to fulfill His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s vision of peaceful coexistence with all nations is a privilege that I will hold in high regard,” al-Jalahmah posted to Twitter in Arabic and Hebrew before touching down in Israel.
The Israeli embassy in Manama has been active since January and is headed by Israeli Chargé d’Affaires Itay Tagner.
The new Bahraini ambassador joins Gulf neighbor the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in establishing a diplomatic presence in Israel.
Earlier this year, Mohamed Al Khaja became the UAE's first ambassador to Israel, recently participating in an inauguration ceremony in Tel Aviv with President Isaac Herzog to officially open the Emirati embassy in Israel.
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UAE ambassador Mohamed Al Khaja handing his credentials to then-President Rueven Rivlin
(Photo: GPO)
Morocco and Sudan also joined Bahrain and the UAE in normalizing relations with Israel as part of the U.S.-brokered agreements.
Al-Jalahmah previously served as director of operations at Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry and before that was deputy chief of mission at Bahrain’s embassy to the United States from 2009 to 2013.