Weekly Event (Friday – October 24, 2025): The Ministry of Interior and the “Washington Institute”… A Close Relationship Under Zionist Lobby Sponsorship
On October 23, 2025, Nasser bin Hamad, the son of Bahrain’s ruler, met with a delegation from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP), headed by Dana Stroul, the Institute’s Director of Research. Although the details of the meeting were not publicly disclosed, informed sources indicated that it involved the renewal of previously signed contracts with the Institute, covering security and strategic affairs.
Earlier, on October 22, the same delegation held an extensive meeting with Tariq Al-Hassan, Chief of Public Security, attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Interior. During the meeting, Al-Hassan presented an overview of Bahrain’s security situation and discussed joint development plans aimed, as he put it, at “enhancing security and stability.”
The delegation also met with Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani, with discussions focusing on Bahrain–U.S. relations and the situation in Gaza following the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit. According to sources, the delegation was briefed by Al-Zayani on upcoming steps to appoint a new ambassador to Tel Aviv, following a phone call he held with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa’ar.
The Washington Institute represents the Zionist lobby group in the United States, closely allied with the influential arms of American policymaking. The Institute operates in alignment with U.S. strategic agendas and the directives of the deep-state power structure in Washington.
It is noteworthy that in the early years of Bahrain’s 2011 uprising, the Institute published reports critical of the Al Khalifa regime, describing King Hamad’s strained relationship with Washington as increasingly fragile. However, the Institute’s stance shifted as American interests evolved, particularly amid the accelerating normalization between the Al Khalifas and Israel.
Since the visit of Interior Minister Rashid Al-Khalifa to Washington in June 2023, the Zionist lobby has played a central role in strengthening ties between the Al Khalifa regime and the Institute. These efforts have included promoting King Hamad’s projects, marketing his security policies, and solidifying strategic cooperation with the White House, alongside joint programs in the security and intelligence fields, carried out under the guise of research and policy studies.
