[Reuters] Bahrain's parliament on Tuesday approved legislation penalizing contacts with Israel. "Whoever holds any communication or official talks with Israeli officials or travels to Israel will face a fine...and/or a jail sentence of three to five years," said member of parliament Jalal Fairooz from the Shi'ite Al-Wefaq bloc, an opposition group that was the driving force behind the move. Diplomats and analysts say Arab governments have been pressured by the U.S. to take steps towards normalizing ties with Israel, but popular sentiment has been opposed to such moves.
2009-10-28 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive