Israel appoints senior military official in Bahrain

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz greets US Navy personnel on the dock in Manama, Bahrain, February 3, 2022. - GPO/AFP

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This appointment is unprecedented.

According to the Israeli media, it follows the rise of tensions in the Gulf countries against Iran and its allies in the region. 

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From our correspondence in Jerusalem

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This is a first: a senior officer of the Israeli army assigned to an Arab country, in this case the Kingdom of Bahrain.

According to Channel 13, an Israeli television channel that revealed the information, the decision was taken during the visit of Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz to the country last week, the occasion of the signing of an agreement between Israel and Bahrain, the first of its kind concluded with a Gulf country.

The soldier in question is from the Israeli Navy.

He will take up his duties in the coming weeks and will notably serve as liaison officer with the American Fifth Fleet, which is also based in this kingdom.

This is probably the reason for choosing this country as security relations with the other signatory countries of the Abraham Accords, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Sudan continue to develop.

Earlier this week Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Israel was cooperating with the United States and other regional allies to combat growing threats at sea, particularly in the Gulf region. 

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• Israel

• Bahrain

• Naftali Bennett

• Diplomacy

• Iran

• Defense

• United States