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TEL AVIV – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Oman marked a new chapter in his efforts to strengthen ties with Arab Gulf countries and shift the conversation of Palestinian issues to regional threats such as Iran.
Netanyahu sees countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman as key potential allies in a Middle East realigned around opposition to Iran and less concerned about Israel's occupation of the land Palestinian without a signed peace agreement. US officials hope Saudi Arabia and other states will be able to pressure the Palestinians to accept the terms of the Trump government.
Netanyahu promised Sunday new public meetings with Oman following his highly publicized trip last week. Other Israeli officials have also recently visited the Gulf countries or are about to meet them in the coming days in rare open places and potentially relying on the peaceful relations established between the countries of the Gulf. Gulf and Israeli intelligence services.
Israel does not have diplomatic relations with most of its Arab neighbors, with the exception of Egypt and Jordan. Israel tacitly shares intelligence information with its neighbors, including Saudi Arabia and the United States.
In establishing relations with Oman, Netanyahu opens a potential route back to Tehran as Israel attempts to bring Iran out of Syria with the end of the war in that country. Oman served as an intermediary between warring players in the region, including for the United States and Iran in 2013.
"During our long meeting, we discussed in detail the challenges facing the Middle East. These were important discussions – both for the State of Israel and very important for Israel's security. There will be more, "Netanyahu said Sunday before a meeting of his cabinet.
Oman's Sultan Qaboos Bin Said may also put Mr. Netanyahu in touch with other regional leaders who may not be ready to meet the Israeli leader openly. Omani Foreign Minister Yousef bin Alawi said his country could facilitate talks and propose new ideas for the Palestinian peace process, although the country has played only a limited role in the past, said current and former officials involved in the peace talks.
"Israel is a state present in this region and we all understand it," Alawi said Saturday at a conference in Bahrain after the meeting. "The time may have come for Israel to be treated in the same way as other countries."
Oman received Mr. Netanyahu publicly and warmly. Official media presented photos and videos of the Israeli leader in Muscat and participated in a series of meetings. The meeting followed months of talks between diplomats from both countries, Netanyahu said.
"In addition to the political benefits of the meeting in Israel, which are real, I think this is largely due to the fact that Israel must find an effective way of communicating with the Iranians, especially for deterrent purposes," he said. Dennis Ross, Senior National Officer. – security posts in several presidential administrations and is currently advising at the Washington Institute.
Israel is still struggling to establish open relations with other Arab countries.
At the same conference in Bahrain, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir reiterated Riyadh's position that relations with Israel can only be normalized through the creation of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. and the Israeli withdrawal from the territory he occupied in 1967.
Hamas on Sunday condemned Netanyahu's visit to Oman, calling the visit a "stab in the back" and a sign that Arab officials have renounced the Palestinian cause.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas hosted an envoy of Sultan Qaboos in Ramallah on Sunday for further consultations. He is committed to strengthening cooperation with Oman. Abbas met with Sultan Qaboos in Muscat several days before Netanyahu.
Another heated exchange between Israel and Gaza this weekend illustrated the challenges to peace with the Palestinians and the Arab world.
Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad fired more than 35 rockets at Israel on Friday and Saturday. In response, Israel struck nearly 100 Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza. Israel said that Islamic Jihad had been in contact with the body of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards during the last escalation and that Israel would not refrain from expanding its response beyond Gaza.
Israeli officials hope the visit to Oman is a sign that public relations is possible without a signed Palestinian peace agreement, even if these relations are somewhat limited. This comes amid a series of meetings between Israeli officials and Gulf states.
Miri Regev, a member of Netanyahu's coalition and Minister of Culture, traveled to Abu Dhabi over the weekend to join an Israeli delegation participating in a judo tournament. Unlike last year, Israeli athletes were allowed to compete under the Israeli flag and the Israeli national anthem "Hatikvah" was played on Sunday when an Israeli athlete was awarded a gold medal.
Ayoub Kara, an Israeli minister considered a relative, Netanyahu, will travel to Dubai on Monday for a communication conference, said people close to the visit.
Israeli intelligence and transport minister Israel Katz will travel to Oman next week to attend an international transport conference and present his project linking Israel to the Gulf states, said Arye Shalicar, adviser to Mr Katz .
-Margherita Stancati in Manama (Bahrain), Abu Bakr Bashir in Gaza and Dov Lieber in Tel Aviv
contributed to this article.
Write to Felicia Schwartz to [email protected]
