Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid Al Khalifa has spurred controversy as he paid his respects to former Israeli President Shimon Peres on Twitter.
Rest in Peace President Shimon Peres , a Man of War and a Man of the still elusive Peace in the Middle East
— خالد بن أحمد (@khalidalkhalifa) September 29, 2016
The tweet referred to Peres as a “man of still elusive peace in the Middle East”, a comment many found offensive. Commentators replied to Al Khalifa reminding him of the way in which Palestinians have suffered as a result of Peres’ policies.
https://twitter.com/salmanalibh/status/781408853506351104
https://twitter.com/Mfawadhi/status/781402161909489664
Rest in hell Mr. Peres with all the shame of the massacres and blood on your hands.
— Hesham (@heshaaam) September 29, 2016
would you care to answer to her? pic.twitter.com/Tzl67CeV58
— Fₗₐₙ bᵢₙ Fₗₐₙ (@realflanbinflan) September 29, 2016
Like many Arab states, Bahrain does not officially recognise Israel, though Israeli citizens are allowed to enter the Gulf state.
Bahrain and Israel do not have diplomatic relations but there was a brief warming in 1994 when the Israeli delegation entered Bahrain for the first time.
The Bahraini embassy has not provided MEMO with a comment.