Israeli Media: Bennett met with Bahrain's US Fifth Fleet commander

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Israeli media reported that Israeli occupation Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Tuesday with the commander of the US Fifth Fleet, Admiral Brad Cooper, in Bahrain.

Bennett is scheduled to hold meetings with senior Bahraini officials after he arrived in Manama on the first visit of an Israeli prime minister to the kingdom. Bennett's plane landed in Manama and he was received at the airport by Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdul Latif Al Zayani yesterday.

The Deputy Secretary-General of the Bahraini Al-Wefaq Society, Sheikh Hussein Al-Daihi, affirmed the rejection of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's meeting with King Hamad bin Isa of Bahrain.

"In these tumultuous times, it's important that from this region we send a message of goodwill, of cooperation, of standing together against common challenges," Bennett said, and his office described "deepening cooperation" in meetings with several ministers.

"I am convinced that Israel's growing friendships with Bahrain and other countries in the region are a leading force in the profound change," he said.

"We want to fill this relationship with substance in energy, in drive, in economy, in tourism, and in the regional architecture," Bennett said. "We spoke about opportunities where we can strengthen the bridge."  

Prior to holding this meeting, Israeli media revealed that for the first time in history, an Israeli occupation navy officer would be appointed to an official permanent position in an Arab country in Bahrain.

Israeli occupation prime minister had visited Bahrain in early February as part of a visit during which the two parties signed a defense deal.

Israeli Channel 13 indicated that the job of the officer would be to maintain communication with the US Navy 5th fleet, based in Bahrain.

According to an Israeli website, Gantz’s visit to Bahrain aims to “establish a seaport in Bahrain, with the purpose of exploiting or using it as a base for the Israeli navy against Iran, with US mediation and Bahraini approval.”

In August 2021, for the first time, a joint exercise took place between the Fifth Fleet and the Israeli Navy, as part of Israel's transition from the area of ​​operations of US forces in Europe to the central command area.