Bahrain's first ever ambassador to Israel to arrive at Tel Aviv, says 'I have a country'

Bahrain’s first ambassador to Israel Khaled Al Jalahma on Tuesday announced that he will reach the Zionist state on Tuesday to begin his diplomatic duties. Al-Jalahma was appointed in March, months after Bahrain and Israel inked the historic Abraham Accord, marking the normalisation of their bilateral relationship. The peace pact brokered by former US President Donald Trump was inked on September 20 and also included UAE. 

Meanwhile, in a tweet, the Bahraini diplomat said that his deployment would serve as an opportunity to fulfil the vision of peaceful coexistence. Notably, Al-Jalahma made his account on the microblogging website earlier today with tweets in Hebrew, Arabia and English. 

Signed last year at the White House, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were joined by foreign ministers of the UAE and Bahrain to commemorate the historic normalisation agreements inked between Israel and the two Arab countries under the 'Abraham Accord'. While both UAE and Bahrain had never supported or opposed the Palestinian cause, Israel had openly announced a claim over the Palestinian held land.

Trump, who supports Jerusalem's claim, had first proposed the peace agreement between his ‘three great friends’ in August. Almost a month later, on September 15, Trump was joined by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and foreign ministers of the UAE and Bahrain at the White House to ink the historic Abraham Accord. The Agreement recalls the reception held on January 28, 2020, at which the president first presented his 'Vision for Peace' and commitment to continue collective effort to achieve a 'just, comprehensive, realistic and enduring' solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.  

Origins and historical impact

Abraham Accord was named as such to honour the patriarch of three major Abrahamic religions — Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Since the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 and the exodus of more than 7.5 lakh Palestinians from the area there have only been two peace agreements brokered between Israel and other Arab countries. However, after the explosive news of UAE agreeing to sign the accord to normalise relations, rumours have swelled up over Bahrain and Oman soon following suit. 

(Image: IsraelinBahrain / Twitter)