Oman offers help in Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts
Benjamin Netanyahu visits Oman days after Mahmoud Abbas’s three-day visit
Manama: Oman is offering ideas to help the Israeli regime and the Palestinians come together, but is not acting as mediator, Yousuf Bin Alawi, the sultanate’s Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, said on Saturday.
Oman relies on the United States and efforts by US President Donald Trump in working towards this “deal of the century” for Middle East peace, Bin Alawi told a security summit in Bahrain a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Oman.
Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa voiced support for Oman over the sultanate’s role in trying to secure Israeli-Palestinian peace, while Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Adel Al Jubeir said the kingdom believes the key to normalising relations with Israel was the peace process.
Netanyahu’s rare visit to Oman came days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas paid a three-day visit to the Gulf country and also met Omani monarch Sultan Qaboos.
Netanyahu was accompanied on Friday by senior officials, including the head of the Mossad intelligence agency and his national security adviser.