IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi lands in Bahrain for security talks

Kohavi's visit comes after Defense Minister Benny Gantz visited Bahrain last month, signing a security cooperation agreement there.

 MINISTERS ARE certain he is running for political office. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi at the Rabin memorial this week. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
MINISTERS ARE certain he is running for political office. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi at the Rabin memorial this week.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi landed in Bahrain on Wednesday for a series of meetings with top security officials in the Persian Gulf country, accompanied by Strategic Planning and Cooperation Directorate head Maj.-Gen. Tal Kelman, International Cooperation Division head Effie Defrin, and Research and Analysis Division head Amit Sa’ar.

This is Kohavi’s first visit to Bahrain.

He was received by the Bahraini Defense Force Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Theyab Bin Saqer Al-Noaimi. Kohavi is also expected to meet with Bahraini Sec.-Gen. Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa and Brad Cooper, commander of the United States Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), the US Fifth Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces.

Israel and Bahrain are tightening their political and security cooperation with Iran.

Kohavi’s visit follows Defense Minister Benny Gantz visit to Bahrain last month, when he signed a security cooperation agreement there, as well as other cooperation meetings between the IDF and the US Armed Forces.

President Reuven Rivlin says farewell to IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi, July 6, 2021. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
President Reuven Rivlin says farewell to IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi, July 6, 2021. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

Kohavi flew to Singapore last month for a five-day meeting with officials there.