Amid Israel’s ongoing airstrikes and ground offensive in Gaza, Arab states with peace and normalization treaties with Israel have found themselves in a delicate position. With criticism of Israel escalating, Jordan recalled its ambassador and a rumor spread that Bahrain had severed its ties with Israel. As for the reports that Bahrain had severed diplomatic and economic relations with Israel, such a move would indeed be significant, given Bahrain’s participation in the Abraham Accords of 2020. But while the two countries’ ambassadors did return home shortly after the war erupted, sources from both sides later reaffirmed that their commercial ties remain stable. The origin of these rumors was apparently a nonbinding motion by Bahrain’s parliament expressing criticism of Israel’s attack on Gaza, rather than an actual policy shift.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 10, 2023 13:27 UTC