Israel's President Isaac Herzog will make a state visit to Bahrain in December, making history as the first Israeli head of state to visit the Gulf country.
As part of a two-day visit to the region, the Israeli head of state will also travel to the UAE at the invitation of the Emirati president where the two leaders will discuss strengthening relations between their countries and expanding bilateral cooperation.
The historic invitation to Bahrain comes as relations between Israel and Gulf countries continue to expand following the signing of the Abraham Accords two years ago, normalising diplomatic ties for the first time.
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President Isaac Herzog
President Herzog will travel to Bahrain on Sunday, 4 December at the invitation of Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, his office said in a statement.
He will visit the capital, Manama, and will meet the King, government officials, and Jewish community members. He will also visit the Bahrain Economic Development Board with Israeli representatives.
The following day, President Herzog will travel to the UAE to meet with President HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for their fourth meeting.
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Israeli President Isaac Herzog (L) and Emirati Ambassador to Israel Mohamed al-Khaja shaking hands at the new UAE embassy in Tel Aviv in July 2021 (Photo by Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images)
The pair will discuss "strengthening Israel-UAE relations, the importance of peace, and the expansion of bilateral cooperation".
These meetings come as Israelis are travelling to the Fifa World Cup being held in Qatar - a state with whom Israel does not have formal diplomatic relations. Direct flights are being run between the two countries for the first time.
