Manama, 4 September 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen inaugurated his country’s new, permanent embassy in Bahrain on Monday, as part of his first visit to the Gulf kingdom that signed a normalization agreement with Israel in 2020.

Accompanied by his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif al-Zayani, Cohen opened the embassy at the new location in the capital Manama and fixed a mezuzah - a special parchment with Hebrew inscriptions - to the doorpost.

The embassy previously operated from a temporary office space, which was inaugurated by former foreign minister Yair Lapid in 2021.

During his visit, Cohen held talks with Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the crown prince and prime minister of Bahrain, discussing ways to enhance security, prosperity and peace.

"Bahrain firmly believes that dialogue and diplomatic solutions are imperative for settling regional and international disputes, and ensuring the rights of people to peace," according to a statement published after the meeting on the official Bahrain News Agency.

Salman called for a firm stance towards achieving a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace that guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, that will lead to stability, development and prosperity for both the Palestinians and Israelis.

In September 2020, under US mediation, Israel signed deals establishing diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Morocco and Sudan later announced similar steps. Prior to this, only two Arab states - Egypt and Jordan - had relations with Israel.

Photo: MIA Archive