June 28 (UPI) -- Protesters stormed the Bahrain Embassy in Iraq late Thursday, burning the Israeli and U.S. flags in opposition to the peace conference more than 700 miles away.
The Trump administration launched the Peace to Prosperity Plan in Bahrain this week to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with a $50 billion economic stimulus plan. Palestinian leaders boycotted the meeting over concerns the proposal doesn't address any two-state solution. The Manama Workshop Tuesday and Wednesday was led by White House senior adviser Jared Kushner.
Demonstrators wanted to send a clear message to the countries participating in the Bahrain conference that they reject the U.S. plan and normalized relations with Israel.
By midnight, Iraqi security forces had arrived to shut down the protest, which Bahrain labeled an "attack." Bahrain also recalled its ambassador to Iraq.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain condemns the attack on the Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Republic of Iraq by the demonstrators [who] led to the sabotage in the embassy building," the Bahraini foreign ministry said in a statement.
Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifah said his government and Egypt's were the only Arab nations to recognize Israel, but "we know our brothers in the region do believe in it as well."
Some believe the protesters were secretly led by Sh'ite militias because some in attendance wore military uniforms. Others said the demonstration happened on its own, out of anger against Bahrain's support of Israel and the United States.