Bahrain's ambassador to Israel presents credentials on eve of Abraham Accords anniversary

Khaled Yousef Al Jalahma presented his credentials to president Isaac Herzog

Khaled Yousef Al Jalahma, left, the first ambassador of Bahrain to Israel with the country's President Isaac Herzog. EPA

Bahrain's first ambassador to Israel Khaled Yousef Al Jalahma handed in his letter of credence to Israeli president Isaac Herzog in a ceremony on Tuesday.

Receiving the letter of credence is an important official ceremony in which an ambassador asks the host country to accept them as a representative of their home nation.

The ceremony comes on the eve of the first anniversary of Israel signing the Abraham Accords with the UAE and Bahrain.

"What a wonderful coincidence to have this event mark the first anniversary of the Abraham Accords," Mr Al Jalahma said on Twitter.

"I’m so proud that we took this brave step last year to work hand-in-hand towards peace, security and stability in the world."

Under the Abraham Accords, which former US president Donald Trump helped mediate in August last year and signed at the White House on September 15, 2020, the UAE and Bahrain agreed to officially establish relations with Israel on condition it suspended the planned annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank and Jordan Valley.

Last November, Bahrain and Israel agreed to open embassies in their respective capitals.

Mr Al Jalahma served as the foreign ministry's director of operations before taking up the new role. He was deputy chief of mission at Bahrain’s embassy to the US from 2009 to 2013.

Israel named Itay Tagner as its charge d'affaires to Bahrain and Eitan Naeh as charge d’affaires to the UAE in January. In February, Mohamed Al Khaja was named the UAE's first ambassador to Israel.