The Sultanate of Oman has committed to the Palestinian Authority (PA) that it will not normalise relations with the Israeli occupation state, Sama News reported on Friday.
Israeli Channel 12, Sama News reported, disclosed that this pledge came following Israel’s declaration that Oman had permitted Israeli airlines to fly eastwards over its skies.
Channel 12 reported that the PA agreed not to condemn Oman’s approval of the Israeli airlines to fly over its skies in return for this pledge.
On Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen announced Oman’s approval for Israeli airlines to fly through its airspace.
“This is a historic decision that will shorten the flying time to Asia, lower costs for Israeli citizens and helps Israeli airlines to be more competitive,” Cohen communicated.
He added: “I thank the Sultan of Oman Haitham Bin Tarik and our American friends for their substantial help in the success of the move.”
At the same time, Oman announced that Israeli airlines would be able to pass through its airspace, noting that this came after months of talks between the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Omani authorities.
In July 2021, Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Bin Hamad Al-Busaidi told London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat: “Oman believes in the principle of achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace on the basis of the two-state solution.”
He added: “We are with the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, and we respect the sovereign decisions of states, just as we expect others to respect our sovereign decisions.”
Source : MiddleEastMonitor
