Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa appointed the first-ever Ambassador to Israel from his nation, as the country prepares for the historic opening of its embassy in the Jewish State.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi spoke with his Bahraini counterpart, Foreign Minister Abd al-Latif al-Ziyani at the end of the first holy day of the Passover holiday to discuss the arrangements.
Al-Ziyani sought Ashkenazi’s approval for the appointment of Khaled Yousif Al-Jalahma to the post of Bahraini ambassador to Israel.
Ashkenazi welcomed the decision of the government of Bahrain and thanked the Bahraini Foreign Minister for his strong friendship, as well as for the courage and leadership of the King of Bahrain.
“The decision of the Bahraini government to appoint an ambassador to Israel is another important step in the implementation of the peace agreement between and of the strengthening of ties between the two countries,” Ashkenazi said.
The Bahraini Foreign Ministry sent an official letter to the Israeli Foreign Ministry with the request for consent to the Designated Ambassador.
Khaled Yousif Al-Jalahma, the designated ambassador, has been the Director of Operations of the Bahraini Foreign Office since 2017 and served as Deputy Ambassador of Bahrain to the United States (2009-2013).
“After carrying out the relevant checks, Israel’s Foreign Minister approved the appointment of Ambassador al-Jalhama,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
In the coming weeks, a team from Bahrain will arrive in Israel to make the necessary arrangements.