JERUSALEM, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Friday that Israel has reached a peace agreement with Bahrain.
The agreement was announced simultaneously by Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump. A joint statement of Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Netanyahu and Trump was released by the White House hailing the "historic breakthrough."
The announcement comes just days before Israel is to sign an accord with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the White House. A representative of Bahrain is also expected to attend the signing.
"This is a new era of peace," Netanyahu said in the statement. "These agreements come after years of concerted work behind the scenes."
Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said in a statement that the relations between Israel and Bahrain are "strategically and economically significant".
"We can continue combining our efforts to preserve regional stability and achieve accomplishments for both of our countries and for the welfare of our citizens," said Ashkenazi.
The deal is expected to normalize diplomatic, commercial, security and other relations between Israel and Bahrain. It makes Bahrain the fourth Arab country to have a peace deal with Israel after Egypt, Jordan and the UAE.
The agreement with Bahrain and the previous one with the UAE are seen as part of Trump's push to improve Israel's international standing and its position in the Middle East. Enditem
