Bahrain announced the postponement of a visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, who was supposed to arrive in the country next week.

Israeli media reported Manama’s announcement, noting that Bahrain, through this move, has ignited speculations.

Senior official sources in Bahrain told i24NEWS it was a “scheduling issue.” Other media reported that the delay was due to the Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa not being in the country next week, and hence will not be able to meet Cohen.

However, there have been speculations in the Israeli media that the real reason for this was the entry of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir into Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday, which sparked strong condemnations in the Arab world.

Amid condemnation from the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and other countries of Ben-Gvir’s ascension to Al-Aqsa Mosque, “it seemed to pundits too much of a coincidence that Cohen’s visit was postponed to September,” the Israeli report added.

Source: Israeli media