Israel and Bahrain to formalise diplomatic ties

Israel and Bahrain were scheduled to officially establish diplomatic relations yesterday at a ceremony in Manama, an Israeli official said.  An Israeli delegation led by National Security Council chief Meir Ben Sabbat took off from Tel Aviv for a one-day trip to Manama that will see Israel and Bahrain formalise the agreement they signed at the White House on September 15. After the ceremony, Israel and Bahrain will be free to open embassies in each other's countries, the official said.   The UAE and Bahrain became the third and fourth Arab states to agree to normalise ties with Israel, following Egypt's peace deal with Israel in 1979 and a 1994 pact with Jordan.