Normalization or Alternative Shelter? ‘Israel’ Buys Bahraini Island!

Arabic-language news websites cited TV7 ‘Israel’ News as reporting that ‘Israeli’ company Himnota, which is owned by the ultra-right Jewish National Fund [JNF], bought a private island with an area of 9,554 square meters for $21.5 million in an auction.

The TV channel claimed that the island is residential and suitable for investment projects of special nature, quoting a source within Himnota as saying that skyscrapers can be founded on the island and can be used for evacuating ‘Israelis’ in the event of war.

According to the report, Avery Shnayer, representative of the Blue and White party on the board of directors of Himnota, said talks will be held with the "friendly" Bahraini regime to transfer sovereignty over the island to ‘Israel.’

Although the TV7 ‘Israel’ News report was immediately deleted without clarification, it sparked anger and outrage among Bahraini activists and social media users who expressed concern that the sale is a prelude to the occupation of another Arab territory.

"Reports emerging [posted by ‘Israeli’ news then deleted] that ‘Israel’ has bought an island in Bahrain - best described as colonial expansion - from a foreign ruling family that occupied Bahrain violently and has been ruling it violently since," Bahraini human rights activist Maryam Alkhawaja said in a tweet.

Jawad Fairooz, a former Bahraini lawmaker and the head of SALAM for Democracy and Human Rights [SALAM DHR], described the report as " a very dangerous and worrying signal."

The news about the sale of the island came a day after ‘Israeli’ military chief Herzi Halevi landed in Bahrain to participate in an international military conference involving several regional leaders, according to the ‘Israeli’ media.

The conference was held under the auspices of the US Central Command [CENTCOM], with the head of the CENTCOM, Erik Kurilla also in attendance.

Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed US-brokered normalization agreements with the Zionist occupation regime in Washington in September 2020.