Israeli delegation cancels visit to Bahrain after outcry
Cancellation due to security concerns
Dubai — A delegation from Israel that was due to attend a conference in Bahrain this week has pulled out due to security concerns, the organisers said on Sunday, after Bahrainis held an extensive campaign against the visit. A spokesperson for Israel’s economy ministry said a planned visit to Bahrain by Israel’s economy minister Eli Cohen had been “delayed because of political issues”. Israel and the Gulf Arab countries are in the midst of a diplomatic push aimed at forging an alliance against their common enemy Iran. Their efforts have become increasingly public after years of mostly covert contact due to strong opposition to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. The group of about 30 Israeli business executives and government officials was scheduled to participate in a congress organised by the US-based Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) in Bahrain on April 15-18. This prompted an outcry in Bahrain, with parliament joining calls on social media for the visit to be ...
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