clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

Twitter users outraged as Bahraini FM pays respects to Shimon Peres

September 29, 2016 at 4:24 pm

Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid Al Khalifa has spurred controversy as he paid his respects to former Israeli President Shimon Peres on Twitter.

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

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.