Bahrain: ‘No easy road’ to Middle East peace but dialogue is key

At the Manama Dialogue, Bahrain’s foreign minister mediated a conversation that highlighted some of the many challenges in bridging views over the Arab-Israeli conflict

Prince Turki al Faisal bin Abdulziz al-Saud, chairman of King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies, addresses the Manama Dialogue security conference in Bahrain capital on December 6, 2020. Show more

Bahrain on Sunday emphasised the challenges to peace in the Middle East, despite major shifts taking place as Israel forges new ties with several Arab states.

“The path of peace is not an easy ride. There will be a lot of obstacles along the way. There will be ups and downs, but the bedrock of that path, the path of peace, is the Israeli-Palestinian issue,” Abdullatif Al Zayani, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister said at the annual Manama Dialogue, hosted by the International Institute of Strategic Studies.

Mr Al Zayani said the region required a “broader partnership” to work together to protect common security interests.

The Bahraini minister mediated the conversation on Middle East security that included Israeli officials as well as former top Saudi official Prince Turki Al Faisal.

Prince Turki spoke about the challenges that Arab states face and referenced the Abraham Accord.

The deal, brokered by US President Donald Trump, came into effect in September making the UAE and Bahrain the first Arab states to establish relations with Israel in more than two decades.

Prince Turki called on Israel to extend “the hands of peace” and said Palestinians are living under a “western colonising” power. He also restated the kingdom’s established position of the Arab Peace Initiative providing the path to resolution to end the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.

He said that the views he expressed during the session were “personal and do not reflect the government’s stance”.

Mr Al Zayani said the Abraham Accord represented a “pro-active move to consolidate security and prosperity in the Middle East”.

He said the Accord "changed the dynamics of our region” and altered perceptions of regional co-operation.

“It will take time for the implications and opportunities to become apparent but they are here to stay,” he said.