Bahrain Mirror: Israel is on the path to normalize diplomatic ties with the Gulf kingdom of Bahrain as the two countries draw closer over their shared hostility to Iran, with an announcement even possible in the relatively near future, Bahraini and Western officials were quoted saying on Saturday, reported the Times of Israel.

While there have been a number of recent signs that Bahrain is dropping its traditional hostility to the Jewish state, such as the visit in May of officials from the Israeli Football Association to a FIFA congress there, the officials told the Middle East Eye that an official announcement of the establishment of relations could happen as soon as next year.

The Israeli newspaper noted that while a normalization of ties would likely not extend to the opening of diplomatic missions, the officials said the two countries are already working to set up exchange visits of businessman and religious figures, and even of government ministers.

"I do not think we will witness the opening of an Israeli embassy here, but probably we will have official visits from ministers of trade and economic affairs," an unnamed Western official told Middle East Eye.

The official said that while there was likely to be grumbling from some Bahrainis over the move, with previous steps such as the visit by Israeli soccer officials leading to criticism on social media, the country's leaders would say it is necessary to counter Iran.

"I would not say this year, maybe the year after, they will tell the populace that it is important to confront Iran, and people with time will accept it," the official said.

The paper added that in light of their shared hostility towards Iran, a Bahraini official told Middle East Eye that establishing ties with Israel would not be problematic, as unlike Iran, Israel does not pose a threat to the Gulf kingdom.

The Times of Israel further highlighted that as part of Bahrain's more conciliatory stance towards Israel, an imam from the country's second city of Riffa told the news site that the government had ordered mosques to stop giving sermons critical of Israel.

Earlier in the week a prominent rabbi who met with Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa told The Times of Israel that the king said he opposes the Arab states' boycott of Israel and intends to allow citizens from his kingdom to visit the Jewish state freely.

Hier told The Times of Israel in a phone interview Monday that he was in Dubai on a mission for his organization when the king personally invited him to visit his palace. While the meeting took place in February, Hier said that he was ready now to discuss its contents after receiving "a clear signal" from the king that the royal meant business. In this case, the signal was that Bahraini Prince Nasser bin Hamad al Khalifa attended a large event for the Weisenthal Center last week, and also visited the unabashedly pro-Israeli Museum of Tolerance, also located in Los Angeles.

"The king made a clear statement: ‘It's illogical for the Arab world to boycott Israel. We must find a better way,'" he said.

Hier, who has met with other Arab leaders, said the Bahraini king "is far advanced in his thinking from other leaders in the region. There is no comparison. The others are much more cautious."

"He sees, in my opinion, that there is no reason for there to be hostilities between Israel and his kingdom," he said.

Israel's Foreign Ministry on Sunday seemingly backed the statements by Hier, writing on its Arabic Twitter account, "Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa denounced the Arab boycott against Israel and has confirmed that Bahraini citizens are now free to visit #Israel." However, the tweet was quickly deleted.

Bahrain, a group of islands in the Persian gulf with a population of 1.4 million, has no formal diplomatic relations with the State of Israel. However, a trickle of Israeli tourists and businessmen have been known to visit the country in recent years. While Jerusalem and Manama have never maintained diplomatic relations, in 2005, the king boasted to an American official that his state has contacts with Israel "at the intelligence/security level (i.e., with Mossad)," according to a secret US diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks. The king also indicated willingness "to move forward in other areas, although it will be difficult for Bahrain to be the first." The development of "trade contacts," though, would have to wait for the implementation of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the king said in the cable.

Other WikiLeaks documents show that senior officials from both countries have spoken in recent years, including a 2007 meeting between then-foreign minister Tzipi Livni and Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa in New York. In 2009, Al Khalifa also signaled that he was willing to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to try to advance the peace process, but ultimately decided not to go ahead with the plan. In 2009, Bahrain's crown prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa penned an op-ed for the Washington Post, in which he urged Arab countries to communicate more with Israel for the sake of the peace process.

In 2010, an Israeli hospital provided life-saving treatment to a Bahraini princess. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said recently that Israel is enjoying its "best-ever" relations with the Arab world.

Arabic Version