Alwaght- An Israeli delegation was forced to pulled out from a conference in Bahrain this week after Bahrainis held an extensive campaign against the visit from the occupying regime.
A spokeswoman for Israeli regime’s Economy Minister Eli Cohen said his planned visit to Bahrain this week had been “delayed because of political issues”. Another Israeli cabinet minister said this referred to coalition talks after Israel’s election last week.
The group of around 30 Israeli business executives and officials was scheduled to participate in a congress organized by the US- based Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) in Bahrain on April 15-18.
This prompted an outcry in Bahrain, with parliament joining calls on social media for the visit to be canceled and some minor street protests held in Manama.
“While we advised the Israeli delegation they would be welcome, they decided this morning not to come due to security concerns and a wish not to cause disruption for the other 180 nations participating,” Jonathan Ortmans, GEN president, said in a statement.
A source close to the matter told Reuters that three Israeli speakers had canceled because they were unable to obtain visas while the rest of the delegation had “decided not to go.”
The Bahraini government said the delegation had been invited at the sole initiative of the Global Entrepreneurship Network.
“Our responsibility is to ensure a safe and supportive environment for the attending delegations,” the government said in a statement.
Last week a group of Bahraini lawyers tried unsuccessfully to get a court to stop immigration authorities from issuing visas to the delegation, while parliament condemned the visit.
“Bahrain’s parliament announces that the people of Bahrain rejects any Israeli presence on its territory and its lands and any decision allowing this presence is unacceptable,” lawmakers said in a statement.
Israeli regime has formal diplomatic relations with only two Arab states, neighboring Egypt and Jordan.
