Bahrain’s national security adviser Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa said the country continues to adhere to the Abraham Accords despite regional opposition to Israel and is “proud” to be part of U.S.-Israeli military cooperation.
Asked at the Aspen Security Forum why his country remains committed to the Abraham Accords despite outrage across the Arab world over Israel’s Gaza operations, Al Khalifa described the normalization agreement as “one of the most important milestones we have achieved.”
“That is why we must always keep our doors and channels open with Israel,” he continued, before adding that the Abraham Accords have had many positive effects for Bahrain and have encouraged other countries in the region to join them.
Al Khalifa noted Bahrain’s proximity to Iran, adding that it was “proud” of its “vital role in regional deterrence and stability,” including following Iran’s April 13 missile attack on Israel.
He said the attack was a “great example” of why the United States, Bahrain and other partners should work more closely together and combine their efforts.
Al-Khalifa said Saudi Arabia was “proud” to be part of the international effort to counter the Houthis in the Red Sea, highlighting the kingdom’s long history of supporting the U.S. in conflicts around the world. It is the only Arab country to publicly acknowledge its participation in the task force.
“We are fighting hard alongside the US because we believe that unless we work with the US, there will be no security, harmony or stability in the region. [our] Let us join hands and take action,” Al Khalifa said.
At the same time, he defended Bahrain’s efforts to resume diplomatic ties with Iran after severing all ties with the Tehran regime. Al-Khalifa asserted that Bahrain was pursuing “deterrence and diplomacy” in parallel and that the two were not mutually exclusive.
“It’s always been important for us, and always will be important for regional security, to negotiate with Iran, just as we negotiated with Israel in the Abraham Accords,” he said. “We should always keep those channels open to ensure we have the right structures in place for regional security, stability and harmony.”
He said that for now the process is moving forward in “baby steps.”
Al Khalifa highlighted the Comprehensive Security, Integration and Prosperity Agreement with the United States as an important development, saying it provides important security guarantees as well as an agreement focused on trade, science and commerce. He said Bahrain envisions making the agreement a multilateral partnership that extends beyond the Middle East region.
“The United States seeks to show that it has many friends around the world, and this agreement should bring true friends together,” Al Khalifa said.
