Israel opens embassy in Bahrain

MANAMA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani on Thursday jointly inaugurated the Israeli embassy in the Bahraini capital of Manama.

Lapid's trip marks the highest Israeli official to visit Bahrain, said a statement released earlier by the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

The visit is "a milestone" in the rapid development of the bilateral relations, Zayani told a press conference.

The two ministers signed several cooperation agreements on environmental protection, sports, innovation, and development of water resources.

Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa received Lapid at the Sakhir Palace, said a statement quoted by the Bahrain News Agency.

Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed the U.S.-brokered agreements to establish diplomatic relations with Israel in September 2020.