Israeli MPs approve deal to establish diplomatic ties with Bahrain

Israel’s parliament approved a US-brokered deal establishing formal relations with Bahrain, by a vote of 62 MPs in favour to 14 against.

The countries signed a joint communique on October 18. Bahrain is one of three Arab countries – along with the UAE and Sudan – to forge ties with Israel in recent months.

Speaking in a televised debate on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a “strong Israel brings other Arab countries closer to it, including those that have not yet made public the normalisation that is developing between us”.

“I am convinced that there will be more countries that will officially join the circle of peace,” he said.

A Knesset [Israeli parliament] spokesman said: “The Knesset plenum approved the joint announcement regarding the establishment of diplomatic relations, peace and friendship between the state of Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain.”

Before the vote, Mr Netanyahu predicted that more regional countries would open relations with Israel.

“[The] buds of normalisation are already out there, waiting to blossom. If we pursue the policy I crafted, I am convinced that the flowering will be witnessed in the open,” he said.

In August, the UAE became the first Arab state to establish relations with Israel since Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.

The US- brokered deals with the UAE and Bahrain were formalised at the White House on September 15.

The departing administration of US President Donald Trump has been trying to broker similar deals with other Arab states.