Bahraini King Asserts Support to 2-State Solution After Establishing Ties With Israel

DOHA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th September, 2020) King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, who earlier in the day officially recognized the State of Israeli, has asserted as well Manama's commitment to the peaceful coexistence of Israel and Palestine as two sovereign states as the only solution to their bilateral conflict, Bahraini official news agency BNA reported on Friday.

The king agreed to the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bahrain and Israel during a phone conversation with US PResident Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day. The agreement will be inked during a ceremony in Washington on September 15.

As reported by BNA, the king stressed during the conversation with Trump and Netanyahu that the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as part of a broader strategic peace agenda, must built on the two-state solution and other relevant resolutions of international legitimacy.

Bahrain became the fourth Arab country to recognize Israel. The first two were Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.

On August 13, Israel and the United Arab Emirates reached a landmark agreement, brokered by the US, to normalize ties, which among other things entails Israel giving up its annexation plans in the West Bank. The two countries are planning to sign a variety of agreements for cooperation in investments, tourism, security and other areas in the coming weeks. The US expects other countries of the region to follow the lead.

Palestine has decried the agreements, calling on fellow Arab nations to reconsider recognizing Israel, which, in turn, has not recognized the Palestinian state.

The United Nations stands by the so-called two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which means a peaceful coexistence of two sovereign states within mutually acceptable borders.