Bahrain has formally accepted the credentials of the new Israeli ambassador, Shmuel Refael, at a time when Palestinians in Gaza are enduring famine and relentless killing. The ceremony, led by Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, has sparked outrage for granting diplomatic legitimacy to an occupier accused of genocide.

The move follows Bahrain’s decision in late 2023 to recall its ambassador from Tel Aviv as the assault on Gaza intensified. Yet the return to normalised relations now exposes a sharp contradiction between the official stance of Arab governments and the sentiment of their people, who continue to reject normalisation and express solidarity with Gaza’s resilience.

As Gaza’s hospitals collapse, families starve, and lives are erased under bombardment, Arab capitals opening their doors to Israeli envoys underscores a deepening sense of Palestinian isolation. Instead of accountability, the expansion of ties with an occupier accused of war crimes sends a message of indifference to the suffering of a people struggling to survive.