‘Israel and Bahrain establish formal diplomatic relations’
‘Israel and Bahrain establish formal diplomatic relations’
Context
Israel and Bahrain have formally established diplomatic relations. The deal - brokered by the US - was signed in the Bahrain capital, Manama.
Recognition of Israel
For decades, most Arab states have boycotted Israel, insisting they would only establish ties after the Palestinian dispute was settled.
Bahrain is now the fourth Arab country in the Middle East - after the UAE, Egypt and Jordan - to recognise Israel since its founding in 1948.
The Arab World consists of 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa: Algeria, Bahrain, the Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and
Iran and Turkey are not Arab countries and their primary languages are Farsi and Turkish respectively.
The mediator
It is important to note that the United States acted as a kind of "mediator" between the countries, openly supporting Israel.
The current US president, Donald Trump, stressed that he restored "trust" with his regional partners, managing to eliminate the caliphate of the Islamic State.