Bahrain in contact with Israel's new government over Palestinian peace process

Bahrain has approached Israel's new government to ask about peace process with the Palestinians and the efforts towards a two-state solution, the kingdom's Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullatif Al Zayani said on Wednesday.

Bahrain reached out to the Israeli government, which is now led by Naftali Bennett following the formation of a coalition government that ousted Benjamin Netanyahu from office after 12 years on Sunday, Al Zayani said. 

Bahrain inquired about Tel Aviv's policy on engaging with Palestinians and bringing peace to the region via a two-state solution, Al Zayani added.

The communications are "driven by the Kingdom’s approach which is based on understanding, dialogue and cooperation among people," he said in a statement.

On Monday, Bahrain’s crown prince, Salman Bin Hamad al-Khalifa, welcomed Israel's coalition government by sending a congratulatory telegraph. 

In the message, he expressed his desire to see the government succeed "in a way that strengthens the pillars of development, stability, and peace in the region and the world," according to the Bahrain state news agency BNA. 

Bahrain and Israel normalised relations in a controversial deal September 2020, following in the footsteps of the United Arab Emirate.

The move was seen as evidence of Bahrain’s growing dependence on the UAE and was slammed by many Arabs as a "betrayal" of the Palestinian cause.

During the fighting in Gaza in May, dozens of Bahrainis took to the streets in solidarity with Palestinians.