An Israeli delegation, led by meir Ben-Shabbat, a national security adviser, and Alon Ushpiz, director general of the State Department, flew to Bahrain on Sunday, where they signed a joint statement on establishing diplomatic relations with the Bahraini government. Egypt and Jordan are the only two other Arab states to have signed diplomatic treaties with Israel in 1979 and 1994 respectively. Other Arab countries could follow suit, with analysts and insiders referring to Sudan, Oman and Morocco. UAE representatives have begun approval and ratification of the agreement signed on 15 September in Washington by both sides, but it is not known when it will be concluded. „I will make a good deal with Iran,“ Trump said. „I`m going to make a deal that`s great for Iran. It`ll get them back. We will help them in every way we can. And Iran will be very happy. Iran will be very rich and very fast. Given that the VaE and Bahrain are regional economic centres, the two peace agreements will facilitate interaction between people between an increasing number of Israeli visitors and hundreds of thousands of foreign workers from across the Arab and Islamic world – including Iranians, Iraqis, Lebanese, Palestinians and Syrians – whose countries of origin have hostile relations with Israel , if at all. Even if the process is incrementable, the creation of a space for these populations, for the first time, to interact with each other as real people – away from hostilities, mutual accusations and government propaganda – will have a revolutionary impact on all parties and on regional peace. The new peace agreements address a critical gap in Israel`s previous agreements with Egypt and Jordan. After Sunday morning`s welcome ceremony, the delegation shared in working groups to sign a second, more detailed declaration on the establishment of diplomatic and peace relations.

The declaration to be signed should not be expected to be a comprehensive peace agreement, as Israel signed last month with the United Arab Emirates, in part because of Bahrain`s fierce opposition to the normalization of relations with Israel. Bahrain joined the United Arab Emirates last month in a solemn ceremony at the White House, during which the „Abraham Accords“ were celebrated, a couple of diplomatic pacts negotiated by the United States with Israel. While the UAE agreement formally established relations with Israel, the agreement with Bahrain was less detailed and included a mutual commitment to follow suit. On the other hand, he noted that „the United States and Bahrain are countries that are not in a state of war with Israel and have worked silently with it“ and that the day of 1993 „does not feel that something has happened in the White House, both psychologically and historically.“ The new standardization agreements are different. Anwar Gargash, the UAE`s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said his country wanted a „warm“ – and therefore more lasting – peace with Israel, which should be a „two-lane road“ with a „people-to-people movement.“ It was confirmed by Ali al-Nuaimi, another senior UAE official, who said the agreement was a „message of peace, not a political treaty.“ He stressed that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would not hinder Emirati-Israeli peace – not even „a war with Gaza.“ Upon landing in Bahrain, Mnuchin said that the agreement between Israel and Bahrain would have a greater influence on the Middle East than the peace agreement signed by Israel with Egypt in 1973.