Israel, Bahrain sign accord to formalise ties at ceremony

Israel, Bahrain sign accord to formalise ties at ceremony

Bahrain and Israel signed a joint communique to formalise nascent ties during a visit by an Israeli and US delegation to Manama on Sunday to broaden cooperation.

Bahrain followed the United Arab Emirates in agreeing last month to normalise ties with Israel.

The Israeli delegation, which flew on an El Al Israel Airlines charter flight from Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, was accompanied by US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

"It was indeed an historic visit, to start opening relations between both countries," Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani said after the signing ceremony with Israel's Foreign Ministry director general Alon Ushpiz and National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat.

Al-Zayani touched elbows with Ben-Shabbat, who described the step as a "promising beginning" and said the Israeli delegation