Bahrain crown prince, Israel’s Netanyahu hold ‘friendly’ talks on phone after normalization deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifah have held talks on the phone for the first time since the two regimes inked a US-brokered normalization deal.

Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that the Israeli premier and Salman had an “outstanding conversation, very friendly” on Tuesday, and the talks focused on the implementation of the accord and promotion of economic, technological and tourist ties between the two sides.

The state-run Bahrain News Agency also reported that the crown prince lauded the establishment of diplomatic ties with Israel, as he and Netanyahu “reviewed potential areas of bilateral cooperation and relevant regional and international developments.”

On September 11, US President Donald Trump announced that Bahrain was following the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in normalizing ties with Israel.

Four days later, 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 during an official ceremony hosted by Trump at the White House.

UAE, Bahrain sign normalization deals with Israel at White House

Emirati and Bahraini foreign ministers arrive at the White House alongside the Israeli prime minister to sign controversial normalization deals with Israel.

Palestinians, who seek an independent state in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital, have condemned the deals as a betrayal of their cause against Israeli occupation.

The agreements have triggered a wave of anger among the public in Bahrain, where anti-Israel sentiment runs deep.

Wefaq: Over 150 protests held across Bahrain since normalization accord

Meanwhile, Bahrain’s main opposition group, the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, once again denounced the normalization deal with Tel Aviv, stating that more than 150 rallies have been staged across the kingdom in protest at the “treacherous” agreement.

Wefaq said it had recorded demonstrations in over 55 districts despite the lockdown and widespread presence of regime forces, and that the protesters have vociferously chanted slogans in condemnation of the “illegitimate” Bahrain-Israel normalization deal.

Bahrain witnesses 6th straight night of protest at normalization with Israel

Bahrainis rally in their hundreds for a sixth straight night against the ruling regime’s recent United States-enabled normalization with Israel.

‘Israel has been running interests section in Manama for over a decade’

Separately, a number of Israeli media outlets have reported that the Tel Aviv regime has been operating an interests section in the Bahraini capital city of Manama for more than a decade.

The outlets said Israel had been running the mission in order to “strengthen economic and political measures in the region,” and that the Israeli foreign ministry was planning to establish an embassy in Bahrain.

Bahrain, Israel mull direct telephone lines 

Moreover, Israel’s Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel and his Bahraini counterpart Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed on Monday looked into establishing direct telephone lines.

The two officials discussed joint telecoms plans, and exchanged viewpoints on working together on cyber and satellite communications, The Jerusalem Post reported.

First direct commercial flight from Israel lands in Bahrain

Additionally, the first known direct commercial flight between Israel and Bahrain landed on Wednesday in the Arab kingdom.

After Saudi, Bahrain next to open airspace to UAE-Israel flights

Bahrain opens its airspace to all United Arab Emirates’ flights that could fly to or from the occupied territories.

The Associated Press, citing flight data, reported that an Israir Airlines Airbus A320 touched down at Bahrain International Airport after a nearly three-hour flight from Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion International Airport.

Israeli media said the airliner had flown over Saudi Arabia, after the kingdom allowed Israel-UAE flights earlier this month to use its airspace.

France MPs: Normalization deals undermine chance for peace

In another development, a group of 61 French legislators said normalization agreements between the UAE, Bahrain and Israel “undermine potential comprehensive peace” between the Palestinians and the Tel Aviv regime.

UAE, Bahrain activists highlight public resentment of deals with Israel

Emirati campaigners and Bahraini NGOs express their opposition to the US-brokered peace deals that the two Arab kingdoms signed with Israel.

The lawmakers said, “Contrary to what was enthusiastically declared by Trump, the document signed in the White House was not a peace deal,” the Arabic-language Arab48 news website reported.

They said the UAE and Bahrain did not fight wars with Israel as Egypt and Jordan had, stressing that the normalization deals recognize the de facto occupation of the Palestinian territories and do not offer anything to Palestinians.

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