The United States issued a security alert for citizens in Bahrain following the country’s historic move to normalize relations with Israel.
The U.S. Embassy in Manama told citizens on Monday to avoid large gatherings or protests and to “keep a low profile.”
“The Embassy encourages all U.S. citizens to review their personal security plans, remain aware of their surroundings, including local events, and maintain a high-level of vigilance,” the security alert advises.
The alert comes after sporadic protests against the normalization treaty broke out on the island nation on Friday. Protests in Bahrain have been very rare since 2011, when thousands of Bahrainis took to the streets during the Arab Spring. But the uprising was quashed by security forces who stopped the momentum of the demonstrations.
The sporadic protests, which have failed to garner much international media attention, come in direct response to the deal. The Palestinian cause has been a unifying point in the country, which has a majority Shi’a population but is largely ruled by Sunni leaders. Bahrain’s government has tied Bahraini opposition to Iran, which Manama accuses of trying to sow discord among Bahrain’s majority Shi’a residents, according to Reuters. Iran’s leaders have repeatedly blasted the peace accords as tantamount to treason.
In the past, Arab countries have vowed to avoid working with Israel until it allows the Palestinians a state.
Bahrain joined the United Arab Emirates in normalizing relations with the Jewish State during a ceremony at the White House last week attended by President Trump and representatives from the three signatories.
The UAE and Bahrain are two of four Arab nations, including Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994), that have now inked peace deals with Israel. There is hope among U.S. officials, including the president, that more countries will join Bahrain and the UAE. Trump has suggested that regional superpower Saudi Arabia may move toward normalization.
