The Media Line: Bahrain Welcomes Israel’s New Ambassador as Regional Tensions Persist 

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Bahrain Welcomes Israel’s New Ambassador as Regional Tensions Persist 

By The Media Line Staff 

Bahrain formally received the credentials of Israel’s new ambassador on Wednesday, marking a renewal of diplomatic engagement nearly a year after ties were downgraded in response to the Gaza war. 

Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani met with Shmuel Revel, Israel’s newly appointed envoy, at the Foreign Ministry in Manama, according to the Bahraini state news agency. Al Zayani welcomed Revel, wishing him success and stressing “the importance of continuing efforts to support peace, security, and stability in the region.” The meeting was also attended by Bahraini officials, including Ambassador Khaled Yousef Al Jalahma and Chief of Protocol Salah Mohammed Shehab. 

Revel succeeds Eitan Na’eh, who left the kingdom after Bahrain recalled its own ambassador from Tel Aviv in November 2023 in solidarity with the Palestinians. The step reflected tensions following Hamas’s October 7 assault on Israel, when terrorists killed some 1,200 people and abducted 251 others into Gaza. Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa was the first Arab leader to condemn the attack, which triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. 

Israel and Bahrain established diplomatic ties in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, a series of US-brokered normalization agreements that also included the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Sudan. Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, has since sought to balance its new relationship with Israel against regional sensitivities and strong domestic support for the Palestinian cause. 

Revel’s appointment comes as both governments face pressure to maintain cooperation while navigating the fallout from the Gaza conflict.