Oman's parliament criminalizes relations with Israel

ALBAWABA - In what is seen as a major blow to Israel, the Omani parliament has passed a law this week to widen the country's boycott of the Jewish state.

The country's 86-member Consultative Assembly decided on 27 December, 2022, to strengthen its boycott law, which is in line with the Arab League, by making it illegal for Omanis to communicate or meet public or private figures from Israel. 

Assembly Vice-President Yaaqoub al-Harethi said the amendment, proposed by several legislators, will “expand the criminalization and boycott of the Zionist entity,” according to the Omani WAF news agency as reported by Press TV. 

This is seen as double blow to the Abraham accords signed between Israel and four Arab countries - Bahrain, UAE, Sudan and Morocco - in late 2020. Israel had been hoping that other Arab countries would establish relations with Israel but no other country, including Oman, had expressed interest unless there was progress on the Palestinian track and the establishment of a two-state solution.

Saudi Arabia opened its space to Israeli flights last July but many say that this is meaningless, unless Oman gives permission for aircrafts from Tel Aviv to travel through Omani airspace to the Far East.