For the first, time a delegation from the European Jewish Parliament (EJP) made a landmark visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain, one of the most dynamic economies in the Middle East, earlier this week.

European Jewish Parliament – Screenshot

A statement by the EJP noted that the delegation was led by Vadim Rabinovych and Joël Rubinfeld, Co-Chairmen of the European Jewish Parliament (EJP), together with MEJP’s from Great Britain, Germany, France, Belgium, Turkey and Ukraine.

The visit was at the invitation of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the framework of an intercultural and interreligious dialogue that started earlier this year in Brussels during the European Jewish Parliament (EJP) General Assembly.

“We are delighted to start a dialogue with the European Jewish Union and the European Jewish Parliament, which represents many countries, and we understand that this is the first and very meaningful step in a new approach of development of the Middle East relations,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, said.

“This initiative is fully supported by the Bahraini Royal Family, who understands the necessity of finding new, alternative and broad ways for peace, co-operation and interdenominational dialogue in our region,” he added.

According to EJP Co-Chair Vadim Rabinovych, “Politics often bring realities to a standstill. We decided to launch a public dialogue between countries and those who believe in tolerance and peace. We believe this is the ‘call of the hour’.”

The two-day visit was marked by a busy program of talks with the Kingdom’s leaders regarding various political initiatives and economic co-operation for both parties.

The top-level Jewish delegation also met with the local Jewish community of Bahrain in Manama, which consists of just 37 people, most of whom are the descendants of immigrants from Iraq whose families have lived in the Gulf island country since ancient times.

The European Jewish Parliament members, representing 47 countries, were elected by more than 400,000 Jewish people from East, Central and Western Europe who voted online.

The groundbreaking inaugural meeting of the EJP took place last February at the European Parliament building in Brussels.

View original Arutz Sheva (without YouTube clip) publication at: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/161352#.UIpZ7oavPuY