Israel president to kickstart Gulf tour amid safety concerns

ALBAWABA - Israeli President Isaac Herzog is embarking on a two-nation Gulf Arab tour, which will take him to Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

Herzog's first stop is Bahrain's capital, Manama, on Dec. 4, upon an invitation by Bahraini King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa. He is accompanied by a high-level Israeli delegation on the visit, which is described as the first state visit by an Israeli politician to the Gulf Arab kingdom. 

Security around Isaac Herzog is being beefed up because of concerns for his safety, as many in Bahrain said they were unhappy about the visit, as seen in social media posts.

Security officials said they noticed unusual online opposition against President Herzog's visit to Bahrain. https://t.co/MtumTp1Xzq

Herzog's second stop is the United Arab Emirates, where he is attending the Abu Dhabi Space Debate held under the patronage of UAE president Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed on Dec. 5-6. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to also participate in the debate.

The Times of Israel carried a full report on Herzog's planned visit, saying Israel's security service Shin Bet is boosting security around Herzog, as he travels to the Gulf region next week, following an online social media campaign from locals in Bahrain opposed to his tour.

The Israeli daily added that one of the posts featured a picture of Herzog, his eyes red with fire behind him along with captions that read: “criminal” and “you are not welcome in Bahrain.”