Itai Tegner ends a significant tenure, during which relations between the Bahrian and Israel became official following the historic agreement signed. From the announcement from his Foreign Ministry executives to leave immediately for Manama, through political, security and economic achievements to Iran: "Sometimes I still pinch myself when I look around here"
On September 15, 2020, Israeli diplomat Itai Tegner sat at the home of a Bahraini friend in Manama and watched a 70-inch screen at the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords held at the White House. For long minutes his Bahraini friend was concentrated on his cell phone screen rather than at the ceremony. When Stegner tried to figure out what the matter was, the Bahraini friend showed him a photo of the advance he had placed two years earlier on a space flight in 2024. "Until two weeks ago, I was sure I would reach space before I arrived in Israel," the Bahraini friend told him.
For Tegner, this moment tells the story of the dramatic change that has taken place in the region over the past year. For the past 15 months, during which he was in charge of the Israeli mission in Manama, Tegner has shifted relations between Israel and Bahrain from a secret alliance that takes place in the shadows to full diplomatic relations that are celebrated in front of the cameras. He was Israel's last secret representative and also Israel's first official representative in the tiny Gulf kingdom. This week he will end his term and symbolically also hand over the baton to Israel's first ambassador to Bahrain, Eitan Na'a.
"The king of Bahrain, Hemed bin Issa al-Khalifa, did not ask for any "payment" for the establishment of relations with Israel," Tegner concludes. If we make it a success story more things will happen fast. There is a huge interest in doing things together. After 15 months all the bridges are in place. Now it should be seen that people are moving from both sides. Those who are afraid can meet in the middle. But we need to start realizing the relationship. "