The Bahraini, Israeli flags are picture in front of El Al Boeing 737 aircraft ahead of the flight to Bahrain's capital Manama at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on October 18, 2020. (PHOTO / AFP)

DUBAI -Bahrain has appointed Khalid Al Jalahma as head of its diplomatic mission to Israel, state news agency BNA reported on Tuesday following a deal to establish relations last year.

Jalahma was previously director of the operations directorate at Bahrain’s foreign ministry and had also served as deputy chief of mission at the kingdom’s embassy in the United States.

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The Israeli foreign ministry said that a team from Bahrain would arrive in Israel in coming weeks to make the necessary arrangements for the Bahraini embassy.

Bahrain’s move closely followed the United Arab Emirates’ naming of an ambassador to Israel after the two Gulf Arab states signed agreements last September to normalise ties with Israel in US-brokered deals.

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The three countries share common concerns about Iran.