12/04/2022 07:53 (act. 12/04/2022 07:53)
President Herzog speaks of “historic step” ©APA/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA
Israeli President Yitzhak (Isaac) Herzog left for a state visit to Bahrain on Sunday. It was the first visit by an Israeli head of state to the Gulf state, Herzog’s office said. Duke comes at the invitation of King Hamad bin Issa Al-Khalifa. Before leaving, Herzog said the visit was “another historic step in relations between Israel and the Arab countries”.
Herzog will be accompanied by a delegation of industry and trade members. On Monday he will be invited by the president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. It should be about cooperation in the field of space travel. In 2020, the Emirates and Bahrain became the first Gulf states to sign an agreement establishing diplomatic relations with Israel. The rapprochement is aimed primarily at Shiite Iran, in which the Emirates see an archenemy. But economic interests also played a role. Until then, only the neighboring countries of Egypt and Jordan, as Arab states, maintained diplomatic relations with Israel.