UAE-Bahrain must brace for internal challenges to normalise ties with Israel

Tehran: Senior Iranian official Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who is a special aide to the speaker of the Iranian parliament on international affairs, has threatened that ‘In the near future, rulers of the UAE and Bahrain, who announced the normalisation of ties [with Israel], will face problems and major challenges within their countries. Their rulers must prepare for it.’ Within hours of his warning, Sheikh Isa Qassim, the spiritual leader of Bahrain’s Shiite majority, has threatened that Bahrain will face instability.

Speaking to a Russian news agency, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, a special aide to the speaker of the Iranian parliament on international affairs, criticised Arab states of the Gulf, the UAE and Bahrain, for cooperating with Israel. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian accused the UAE and Bahraini regimes of collaborating with Israel under US pressure. Simultaneously, the Iranian leader asserted that the Arab countries did not have special rights under this cooperation. Nevertheless, Hossein threatened both Arab countries that they would suffer the consequences for establishing ties with Israel in the near future.

Last month, Israel signalled an independent military alliance with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain. However, Hossein claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was lying. ‘In future, if the UAE and Bahrain establish ties with Israel militarily, the repercussions will be felt in both the countries. If the two countries still go ahead and decide to establish military cooperation with Israel, they must remain prepared to face internal challenges,’ Hossein warned.

Bahrain’s Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, a leading opposition group to the Al-Khalifa regime, has called on the rulers not to cooperate with Israel. ‘The Bahraini regime’s ties with Israel will be against Iran. To dance to Israel’s tune would be considered a weakness and an insult to the Bahraini regime,’ the Bahraini opposition group said.

UAE Currently, Bahrain is dealing with tensions within the country. The regime has arrested some leaders as well. Sheikh Isa Qassim, a pro-Iranian Shiite cleric, even threatened the Bahraini king. Sheikh Qassim warned that the ‘Bahraini regime should prevent the death of political leaders in prison and not allow cemeteries to be filled with their dead bodies. If this is not avoided, the country would no longer have stability.’

During the 2011 Jasmine Revolution in the Arab-Islamic countries, Shiite leaders and their supporters staged protests against Bahrain’s regime. Later, with support from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Bahrain crushed the movement and arrested the leaders. Sheikh Qassim has demanded the release of these political prisoners.

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