Oman set to weigh amending its law on boycotting Israel — local media
Report says country’s Shura Council is scheduled to meet and discuss changing the country’s policy on Monday, though details remain murky
Oman is set to deliberate amending a law that mandates boycotting all Israeli entities and individuals, according to a Sunday report in the nation’s media.
The WAF news agency said the Omani Shura Council was scheduled to meet and discuss changing policy on Israel on Monday.
There were no immediate details on what the deliberations might entail, though Israeli media outlets speculated it may be tied to Israeli efforts to secure Omani authorization for civilian overflights of the country.
Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia — which also has no ties with Israel — allowed Israel to use its airspace, but Oman has held out against doing so, which means Israeli flights to Asia must still take a much longer route.
Hebrew media said at the time that Oman’s reluctance to follow suit was the result of pressure from neighboring Iran. And later attempts by the Biden administration to push the Omani government to allow Israeli flights to use its airspace have not born fruit so far.
A report by local news outlet Atheer that was cited by Israel’s Channel 13 read: “We are unable to detail the amendment because it is being thoroughly discussed by the council and its different departments before reaching the plenum, where it will be presented to the public.”
Currently, Omani law prohibits citizens from making contact with entities or individuals based in Israel directly or through mediators, for any purpose.
Oman and Israel have no official diplomatic relations, though the country has been floated as a potential nation to join the Abraham Accords with Israel, following the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
In 2018 then-prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is set to return to office in the coming week, visited the country. During his visit, he reportedly received a commitment from then-sultan Qaboos to open Omani airspace to Israeli airliners. However, the decision was walked back by Qaboos’s successor, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq.
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi said last year that Oman would only move after a two-state solution has been realized.
Jacob Magid and Tobias Siegal contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.