Israeli delegation did visit Bahrain, despite opposition - new report

Earlier reports claiming the Israeli delegation meant to take part in the Bahrain Global Entrepreneurship Congress cancelled.

By HAGAY HACOHEN
General view of Bahrain World Trade Center in Manama, Bahrain, February 21, 2019. Picture taken February 21, 2019. (photo credit: HAMAD I MOHAMMED / REUTERS)
General view of Bahrain World Trade Center in Manama, Bahrain, February 21, 2019. Picture taken February 21, 2019.
(photo credit: HAMAD I MOHAMMED / REUTERS)
The Israeli delegation that allegedly cancelled taking part in the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Bahrain after news of its involvement sparked protests in the kingdom now seems to have visited after all, Channel 13 reported on Wednesday.
An Israeli official speaking on condition of anonymity said the Israelis visited Manama and held several meetings there.
Parliament members of the island nation released a statement before the visit saying that Israeli presence in their land is “unacceptable” and protests were reported in the capital and across the country, the Israeli TV network i24 reported on Sunday.
Jonathan Ortmans, founder and president of the Global Entrepreneurship Network, said that while the Israelis are welcomed, they decided not to attend citing “security concerns.”
Rabbi Marc Schneier, who offers his counsel to the king of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, warned that the people he speaks with are confused by what they say as two conflicting statements by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“They know he very much wants to establish relations with the Gulf States,” he said, “and at the same time they don’t understand why he is talking about annexing the West Bank.”
The rabbi's sources have informed him that any progress in normalizing ties with the Jewish state is related to the progress made with the Palestinians.