Bahrain Mirror: US Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday hailed the symbolic importance of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "breaking bread" with Arab leaders from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates at a Mideast conference in Warsaw, saying he hoped it heralded further cooperation to come.

The two-day conference, which was attended by the three Gulf states and originally called with a focus on countering Iran, opened with a dinner at the Royal Castle in Warsaw's old town, and was the first open diplomatic event of its kind.

"Tonight I believe we are beginning a new era, with Prime Minister Netanyahu from the State of Israel, with leaders from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, all breaking bread together, and later in this conference sharing honest perspectives on the challenges facing the area," Pence said, addressing the guests.

The Times of Israel reported that Pense further stated that the US welcomes "this outward symbol of this gathering, a symbol of cooperation and a hopeful sign of a brighter future that awaits nations across the Middle East."

According to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the conference was supposed to focus on Iran's regional activities, but the organizers played down the focus on Tehran, making the conference agenda ambiguous, especially since Netanyahu said he would not discuss the Israeli-Palestinian peace initiative either.

Netanyahu and Arab officials also took part in a group photo of the conference participants on the podium.

Palestinians have strongly criticized the conference. Palestinian officials described the meeting as an American initiative to advance its anti-Palestinian stance.

Arabic Version