H eadlines
ISRAELBRIEFS Israel, Bahrain Establish Formal Relations
ISRAEL AND BAHRAIN AGREED Oct. 18 to
establish formal diplomatic relations, the Associated
Press reported.

The United States brokered the relationship,
making Bahrain the fourth Arab state to normalize
ties with Israel. U.S. and Israeli officials visited
Bahrain to forge the agreement.

With the agreement in place, the countries can
open embassies and exchange ambassadors in the
months ahead.

Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates partici-
pated in a September White House ceremony where
UAE formally established ties, but Bahrain’s agree-
ment at that point was less detailed.

“Today we made the first formal step in
bringing closer ties between the countries,” said
Meir Ben-Shabbat, who is Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu’s national security adviser. “We were
accepted with open arms, with warmth and cordiality.”
“It was indeed an historic visit, to start opening
relations between both countries, to have fruitful
bilateral relations in both fields,” said Bahrain’s
foreign minister, Abdullatif al-Zayani, at the signing
ceremony. Bahrain joins UAE, Egypt and Jordan as Arab
states with diplomatic treaties with Israel.

Israel’s Oldest Man Dies at 117
Shlomo Sulayman, who claimed to be Israel’s oldest
man, died Oct. 11 at 117, JTA reported.

Sulayman, who his family says was born in 1903,
emigrated from Yemen to Israel with his wife and
four children in 1949. Two other children were born
in Israel. Sulayman served in the Israel Defense
Forces and worked in agriculture. His wife died
several years ago at the age of 94.

Grandson Gil Radia said Sulayman was living on
his own and his mind was clear until the end.

“Until the pandemic, he would go to the synagogue,
even at the age of 116. He was a very modest man,
which is why everyone loved him. But I guess the
isolation at home contributed to his health deterio-
rating,” Radia said.

Israel Becomes 24th Nation to Top 300K
Confirmed COVID-19 Cases
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 topped
300,000 on Oct. 15, making Israel the nation’s 24th
country to reach that mark, Ynet reported.

Israel is the only country in that group with less
than 10 million residents.

The nation’s Health Ministry said the death toll
since the start of the pandemic was 2,128. There are
38,355 people battling coronavirus, with 713 patients
in serious condition, including 247 connected to
ventilators. The contagion rate of the 37,487 tests conducted on
Oct. 15 was 4.2%.

The nation’s coronavirus cabinet did vote to allow
small business that don’t involve public interaction to
reopen, as well as kindergartens, takeout food service
and beaches.

Tik Tok Removes Lehava’s Channel
Video-sharing social network Tik Tok removed the
channel of far-right Israeli group Lehava, JTA reported.

Lehava opposes Jewish-Arab coexistence and gay
relationships. It is led by Benzi Gopstein; he was banned
from Israeli elections last year while head of the right-
wing Jewish Power party because of anti-Arab statements
that were considered an incitement to racism.

At first, Tik Tok removed three Lehava videos.

It later removed the channel entirely after fielding
complaints about the content.

Lehava previously was banned from social media
networks Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Gopstein complained about Tik Tok’s decision.

“You can find every evil on Tik Tok, but somebody
who talks a little about Judaism and about not assimi-
lating — this, Tik Tok decided to close,” Gopstein said. l
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