MANAMA, Feb 14 (AFP) - Prime Minister Naftali Bennett arrived in Bahrain on Monday (Feb 14) for the first-ever official visit by an Israeli head of government to the Gulf state, an AFP reporter said.

Bennett's visit is the latest such initiative following the US-brokered 2020 Abraham Accords, which defied decades of Arab consensus that ruled out ties with Israel in the absence of a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Bahrain and its close ally the United Arab Emirates became only the third and fourth Arab states - following Egypt and Jordan - to establish ties with Israel when they signed on to the pacts negotiated under former US president Donald Trump.

"I'm going to meet the king, I'm going to meet the crown prince," Bennett said on the tarmac shortly before departing Israel, referring to Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa.

The prime minister, who is also set to see other top officials and members of the Jewish community, said he will hold "a series of meetings whose goal is to fill - with energy and content - the peace agreement between the two nations".

"In these tumultuous times it's important that from this region we send a message of goodwill, of cooperation of standing together against common challenges," he added.

The trip follows a visit to Manama by Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz earlier this month that saw the two countries sign a defence agreement.

That deal covered intelligence, procurement and joint training, with Gantz boasting that it further solidified the nascent diplomatic relationship.

The visit also comes at a time of regional tensions over Iran's nuclear programme.

Iran is engaged in negotiations with Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia directly and with the United States indirectly to revive the deal formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.