| 1 |
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid flew to Bahrain on Thursday, in what is the highest-level official Israeli visit to the Gulf state since the countries formally normalized ties last year. The Jewish state’s top diplomat is scheduled to meet with his Bahraini counterpart, Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani, and then they are slated to jointly inaugurate the mission in the Bahraini capital of Manama. A number of bilateral agreements are also expected to be signed.
Meanwhile, direct flights between Tel Aviv and Manama will for the first time take off on Thursday.
We are excited to announce that we will be flying to Tel Aviv starting 30 September 2021 with two weekly flights
.
نعلن عن رحلاتنا المباشرة إلى تل أبيب بدءا من 30 سبتمبر 2021 بواقع رحلتين اسبوعيتين#GulfAir #Bahrain #Israel #TelAviv#طيران_الخليج #البحرين #إسرائيل #تل_ابيب pic.twitter.com/7TFyRABt0n— Gulf Air (@GulfAir) September 9, 2021
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett earlier this week met with al-Zayani in New York City ahead of the former’s address to the UN General Assembly. Joining them was UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Khalifa al-Mara.
Bahrain and Gulf neighbor United Arab Emirates normalized relations with Israel in accordance with a US-brokered deal known as the Abraham Accords. Since becoming foreign minister in June, Lapid has also visited the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, two other countries that have signed onto the Abraham Accords.
| 2 |
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan held talks in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi that focused on regional tensions. Sullivan emphasized US President Joe Biden’s support for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, a senior administration official said.
The two men also spoke of reconstruction efforts in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Cairo’s role in brokering a ceasefire following 11 days of fighting in May between the Hamas terrorist group and Israel was praised at a time when the Egyptian government was struggling to strengthen ties with Washington.
Sullivan’s trip comes after the Biden Administration announced earlier this month that it would be withholding $130 million in military aid to the country over human rights concerns.
Next week Sullivan plans to follow up on the Egypt talks by meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Eyal Hulata, in Washington.
| 3 |
US President Joe Biden reportedly rejected a request from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to meet last week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Biden’s decision reportedly contributed to Abbas’ move to not travel to New York City and instead give his speech remotely by video.
In Biden’s own address to the UNGA, he reiterated his support for the two-state solution but did not call for an immediate resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. To this end, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Israel and Palestinian Affairs Hady Amr is due to visit Jerusalem and Ramallah next week.
Abbas demanded that Israel withdraw to the so-called 1967 lines within a year or face repercussions during his UN speech. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett omitted any mention of the Palestinians in his address to the General Assembly.
| 4 |
Israel is gearing up to take part in Expo 2020 Dubai when the world fair opens on Friday. Beginning October 1, the global event will feature exhibitors from nearly 200 countries. It was put on hold for an entire year due to the coronavirus pandemic. This is the first time the expo is being held in the Middle East.
The Israeli pavilion will include a large illuminated sign saying “Towards Tomorrow” in both Hebrew and Arabic.
On September 15, the UAE marked one year since normalizing ties with Israel and inaugurating the Abraham Accords, a move that reportedly could potentially produce a trillion dollars in trade and business.
| 5 |
Some one million people visited the Western Wall during the just-ended Jewish holiday season, according to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. Last year, COVID-19 restrictions allowed for only a limited number of worshippers to gather at the holy site in Jerusalem.
Thousands joined for the traditional Selihot penitential services in the month leading up to the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. Large numbers of worshipers also participated in events during the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Attonement.
The pilgrimage holiday of Sukkot and Shmini Atzeret also attracted many people to the Western Wall.
The rabbi of the Western Wall, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, said: “The masses that came to the Western Wall are impressive and strong proof of the Jewish nation’s connection with the Western Wall, which unites us all through preserving tradition and its holiness.”
Recommended Reading
- Israel Is a Key Regional Player (Dan Schueftan, Israel Hayom)
- Hamas’ Terrorist Plots Were Worse Than the Public Knows (Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom)
- Newly Revealed Photos From 1966 Show Early Efforts to Document Babi Yar Massacre (Amy Spiro, Times of Israel)
- Tel Aviv University Study Shows Cognitive Boost In Alzheimer’s Patients Using Oxygen Therapy (David Brummer, NoCamels)
