Israel–Oman relations

Israel-Oman relations

Israel	Oman

Israel and Oman do not have official diplomatic relations, however do maintain minimal relations as tourists from Israel are allowed to visit Oman. Economic cooperation between the two countries, through not significant, helped Oman become a bridge between the Arab world and Israel.

In 1994, then-prime minister of Israel Yitzhak Rabin visited Oman, where he was greeted by Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Said al Said in Muscat. Among other things, the two sides discussed issues such as sharing water and how to improve water supplies. In 1995, a few days after Rabin was assassinated, then-acting prime minister Shimon Peres hosted Omani foreign minister Yusuf Ibn Alawi in Jerusalem.

In January 1996, Israel and Oman signed an agreement on the reciprocal opening of trade representative offices.

Official relations were frozen with the outbreak of the Second Intifada in October 2000.^[1] Still, in 2008, Oman's Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah met with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni during their visit to Qatar.

Arab-Israeli conflict

Unlike most other nations in the region, Oman has not participated in any of the armed conflicts fought between the Arab states and Israel.

References

1. Israel - Oman Relations (Communicated by Foreign Ministry Spokesman) October 12, 2000