On Wednesday, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi welcomed Bahrain's Minister of Industry, Commerce & Tourism, Zayed bin Rashid Alzayani, to Israel. Alzayani is heading a delegation of government officials and businessmen that arrived in Israel yesterday in order to collaborate on a wide range of issues and sign a number of agreements.

Ashkenazi first met with Alzayani in private and then the two issued a joint statement to the media.

“My friend, Minister Zayed Alzayani - Shalom and welcome to Israel!

“I am happy to see such a large delegation from Bahrain here in Jerusalem,” he continued. “This is the second official visit of a Bahraini minister at the head of a large official delegation to Israel, and it is a celebration of peace in the Middle East.

“The arrival of such a delegation symbolizes first and foremost the normalization of relations between our countries and our common desire to promote change in the Middle East – a change that will bring peace, stability, security, economic prosperity and commercial, cultural, and business ties.

“The day on which we signed the agreements in Washington marked the beginning of a new chapter in relations between us. Since then, here at the Foreign Ministry and in the many government ministries that are partners to the agreement, we have been working to fully and speedily implement the agreement.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been charged with the drafting of agreements in the fields of economics and tourism between Israel and Bahrain, some of which will be signed during your visit here in Jerusalem, and some of which will be signed over the coming weeks. We are committed to bring about the implementation of the agreements, as soon as possible, so that the peoples of our countries can soon enjoy the fruits of the peace that we have dreamed of.

“As you know, I spent most of my life in the Israel Defense Forces. I served as a soldier and became the commander-in-chief of the army. I fought on many battlefields, led many operations and, with great sadness, buried too many friends and commanders.

“All of this I have done for the security of Israel and its citizens, and in the hope of peace. Every visit such as today’s is another step towards a better future for our children and for the entire region.

“I am happy and proud that during my tenure as Foreign Minister of the State of Israel, we are creating history, bringing change to our region, and making peace.

“From the beginning, we emphasized, both in Bahrain and in Israel, that we want a warm peace. We want a peace that every Bahraini and Israeli citizen will see and feel, especially in the impact on the quality of life of our peoples. The fast pace at which our relationship is progressing is excellent, and is further proof of the mutual desire to strengthen ties.

“We all dream that soon, we will see businessmen and tourists visiting our countries freely, enjoying the beauty and charm of the State of Israel and visiting the holy sites.

“I would like to thank again, His Majesty King Hamad of Bahrain for his bold decision to march towards peace, to tear down the barriers between us, and to weave together a different reality for our region, a region that has known too many conflicts and wars.

“This is a historic step and significant milestone in our efforts to turn our region into one of peace.

“I plan to visit Manama very soon to inaugurate the Israeli Embassy in Bahrain and to continue the fruitful discussions that we had today, and further promote relations between our countries and peoples.”