Top Bahraini,Israel officials hold talks on investment, ties

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Top Bahraini and Israeli officials yesterday held talks on enhancing investment and further collaboration between both countries. With Khalid Al Rumaihi, the CEO of Mumtalakat, on the virtual meeting was Prof. Avi Simhon, the Head of Israeli National Economic Council and the Economic Advisor to the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Lior Farber, the Deputy Director-General of Israeli Prime Minister’s Office for Internal Affairs and Development.

The meeting focused on boosting ties in various sectors and opportunities and potential joint projects that could present future growth and development prospects for both nations.

The latest talks come close on the heels of a discussion by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister on investments.

Netanyahu’s office also said he spoke about visiting Bahrain once coronavirus restrictions would allow it.

“The Bahraini regent also stated that he was interested in examining the possibility of Bahrain joining an investment in a vaccine manufacturing plant planned to be established in Israel together with other countries,” the statement said.

Netanyahu had said he was “in talks with the heads of Pfizer and Moderna to open facilities in Israel.”

Bahrain followed the United Arab Emirates in normalising ties with Israel, a break-through overseen by the former US President Donald Trump. The agreement, announced by Trump on 11 September 2020, was followed on by a joint statement, officially referred to as the Abraham Accords, by the United States, Israel, and the UAE on 13 August 2020. The leaders formally signed the deal on 15 September 2020 at the White House in Washington, DC.

At that time, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani, said, “engagement and cooperation were the most effective and sustainable way of bringing about genuine and lasting peace in the region.”

The ceremony also saw several memoranda of understanding- ing covering trade, air services, telecommunications, finance, banking and agriculture.