Saudi-Bahraini Cooperation Council Raises Representation Level

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Bahraini Crown Prince, will chair the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Bahraini Crown Prince, will chair the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi-Bahraini Cooperation Council Raises Representation Level

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Bahraini Crown Prince, will chair the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Bahraini Crown Prince, will chair the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Council of Ministers, headed by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, decided on Wednesday to negotiate with Bahrain to raise the level of representation for the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council, to be headed by the crown princes of the two countries.

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa welcomed the Saudi decision and emphasized “the solid historical ties that unite the two countries, based on strong foundations of brotherhood, common visions and mutual understanding and coordination.”

Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Bahraini Crown Prince, renewed his keenness to achieve the vision of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, by strengthening relations between the two countries through the Bahraini-Saudi Coordination Council, in order to “further consolidate the distinguished relations between the two leaderships and brotherly peoples at all levels and achieve a more prosperous future that meets ambitions and aspirations.”

He also praised the efforts deployed by Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, to strengthen joint relations and push them towards a broader horizon of bilateral cooperation and coordination.

For his part, Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Abdullatif Al-Zayani, highly valued the step to rise the representation level of Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council, stressing that the close ties between the two kingdoms were based on appreciation and mutual respect between the two leaderships and peoples.

In July 2019, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain announced the establishment of their Coordination Council that would be tasked with coordinating various political, military, economic, investment, media and social stances.

“The Council is important for enhancing coordination, cooperation and complementary between the two countries in various political, economic, investment, development, military and security fields, as well as in following up on the progress of work in all joint projects and initiatives, within the two kingdoms’ deep-rooted relations,” the Bahraini King said.



Qatar PM Says Gaza Ceasefire Talks Make Some Progress

FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
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Qatar PM Says Gaza Ceasefire Talks Make Some Progress

FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo

Qatar's prime minister said on Sunday that efforts to reach a new ceasefire in Gaza have made some progress but an agreement between Israel and Hamas to end the war remains elusive.

"We have seen on Thursday a bit of progress compared to other meetings yet we need to find an answer for the ultimate question: how to end this war. That's the key point of the entire negotiations," said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as foreign minister, Reuters reported.

Mossad Director David Barnea traveled to Doha on Thursday to meet Sheikh Mohammed amid efforts to reach a new ceasefire in Gaza, Axios reported last week.

Sheikh Mohammed didn't say which elements of the ceasefire talks had progressed in recent days, but said Hamas and Israel remained at odds over the ultimate goal of negotiations.

He said the militant group is willing to return all remaining Israeli hostages if Israel ends the war in Gaza. But Israel wants Hamas to release the remaining hostages without offering a clear vision on ending the war, he said.

"When you don't have a common objective, a common goal between the parties, I believe the opportunities (to end the war) become very thin," Sheikh Mohammed said at a press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Fidan said talks Turkish officials have held with Hamas had shown the group would be more open to an agreement that goes beyond a ceasefire in Gaza and aims for a lasting solution to the crisis with Israel, including a two-state solution.

Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza on March 18 after a January ceasefire collapsed, saying it would keep up pressure on Hamas until it frees the remaining hostages still held in the enclave. Up to 24 of them are believed to still be alive.

The Gaza war started after Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack. Since then, Israel's offensive on the enclave killed more than 51,400, according to local health officials.