Bennett had a meeting later in the afternoon with King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, the head of state in Bahrain, as well as Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain, several Bahraini ministers, and members of Bahrain’s Jewish community. During the meeting with the crown prince, Bennett expressed a desire to shift the focus of the visit from government-to-government to people-to-people peace, emphasizing the importance of substance over ceremonies. Prince Salman agreed, likening the meeting to "cousins getting together." The Israeli government also announced a partnership with Bahrain to fund joint business projects in climate-related technology, manufacturing, and e-commerce. Bennett's visit to Bahrain, the first by an Israeli prime minister, highlighted the strengthening relationships between Israel and various Arab governments over the past 18 months, including establishing diplomatic ties with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and improving relations with Morocco and Sudan. For years, the majority of Arab countries refused to normalize relations with Israel due to the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, priorities have shifted in some countries, as seen by Bennett's warm welcome in Bahrain, where containing Iran now takes precedence over resolving the conflict. Bahrain will now host an Israeli military officer as part of a regional alliance to protect navigation and trade in the Persian Gulf from Iran's aggression. Bahrain's invitation to Bennett also suggested a growing acceptance of Israel's role in the region by Saudi Arabia, the most influential state in the Arab world and a significant rival of Iran. Despite official denials from Saudi officials that the kingdom plans to normalize ties with Israel, support from Saudi Arabia is essential for Bahrain, as Saudi troops assisted Bahrain in suppressing an uprising in 2011 and bailed out the Bahraini economy in 2018. Analysts believe that Bahrain, acting as a Saudi proxy, typically does not make major decisions without Saudi agreement, viewing Saudi Arabia as a supportive big brother in times of need. Abdulla stated that there is more cooperation among Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf States than many people realize. Prominent Saudis have expressed support for Israel and criticized Palestinian leadership, which was previously unheard of. In 2018, Prince Mohammed made headlines by asserting the rights of Israelis to their own land. Two years later, Saudi prince Bandar bin Sultan criticized Palestinian leaders for not helping ordinary Palestinians. Saudi movie theaters are currently showing a film featuring Israeli actress Gal Gadot, who faced criticism in the Arab world for supporting Israeli military actions in Gaza. Relations are improving between Israel and the two Arab countries it had previously made peace with, Egypt and Jordan. President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt greeted an Israeli government minister in front of other Arab dignitaries, signaling closer ties between the governments. However, public sentiment in the Arab world does not seem to be as supportive of the recent diplomatic progress, with polling indicating that a majority of Arabs do not back the thaw with Israel. In Bahrain, where dissent is restricted, there were protests against the Bahraini government and Israel, as shown in photos and videos circulated on social media. International human rights organizations have criticized Bahrain for lacking a free press and having judges appointed by the ruling royal family. The Khalifa family, a Sunni Muslim dynasty in power since 1783, governs over a predominantly Shia population that claims to face discrimination. Exiled Bahraini activists expressed disappointment over a visit by Bennett on the anniversary of the 2011 uprising, accusing it of betraying the Palestinian cause and supporting Israel's actions. Alwadaei, from the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, called the visit a disrespectful gesture towards Bahrain's history of standing up against authoritarianism.