People-to-people bonds key to deepen Bahrain and Israel ties

TDT | Manama                                             

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com    

Reported by Julia Cassano

Israeli Ambassador to Bahrain Eitan Na’eh has addressed a crucial aspect on nations’ bond - the bond amongst the people.

To solidify countries’ partnerships, the people-to-people relationship should be identified as a priority and focus, meaning societies must come together to understand each other to build lasting bonds.

“People-to-people partnership is crucial to strengthen ties, no matter which country it is,” Ambassador Na’eh said yesterday at a media roundtable conference.

“We are witnessing significant changes. We see an increase of people attending the events, new faces and old friends. That allows a diverse group of people to discuss, relate, and understand one another.”

Through strengthened relations, the Ambassador noted recent developments that bring Israeli technology to the Kingdom, such as Sheba Medical Centre, the biggest and most modernised innovation centre outside of Israel, now located in Manama.

Although developments are happening quickly, this is only the starting point, the Ambassador noted, as the future holds an abundance of influential plans. Trade, investments, and custom agreements are all crucial, but enhancing and strengthening relations between the people is a focal point.

“Don’t do business with nations you have never visited. To change and enhance our ways, it is necessary that we learn to understand each other, educate each other, and recognise our differences as well as our similarities,” he said.

Ambassador Na’eh added that to understand each other, it should be a must to visit each other’s countries, learn about each other’s cultures, and identities.