WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden spoke on Tuesday with Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, the Sultan of Oman.
“The two leaders reaffirmed the longstanding historical ties between our countries and peoples, and discussed mutual efforts to forge a more prosperous, peaceful, and integrated Middle East region,” the White House said in a statement.
President Biden thanked Sultan Haitham for his personal leadership and support for the UN-mediated truce in Yemen, “which over the past year has witnessed its longest period of calm since the war began over a decade ago.”
“He also welcomed Oman’s recent decision to open its airspace to all civilian aircraft, including those flying to and from Israel,” the White House said. “Both leaders committed to strengthening the US-Oman strategic partnership, trade and investment opportunities, and cooperation on clean, diversified, secure energy sources.”
According to the readout, Biden also welcomed Oman’s historic role in securing the freedom of American citizens wrongfully held in Iran.
Last month, Oman agreed to open its airspace to Israeli flights, even though the country does not have diplomatic ties with Israel, in a move that could transform Ben Gurion Airport into a global transit hub between Asia and Europe.
“The Far East is not so far, and the sky is no longer the limit.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
“The Far East is not so far, and the sky is no longer the limit,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
Oman and its neighbor Saudi Arabia are both considered likely candidates to join the Abraham Accords.
Saudi Arabia opened its airspace to Israel last summer. Now that Israeli flights can travel over both countries, it would take two hours less to fly to Asia, the Foreign Ministry said.
It makes India, in particular, much more accessible, impacts flight times to Australia and transforms Israel into a global transit hub between Asia and Europe, it said.
Oman’s Civil Aviation Authority tweeted last month: “Enforcing international and local requirements against discrimination in dealing with civilian aircraft, the Civil Aviation Authority confirms that the sultanate’s airspace is open to all carriers that meet the requirements of overflying.”
As part of the Sultanate of Oman’s continuous efforts to fulfill its obligations under the Chicago Convention of 1944, the Civil Aviation Authority affirms that the Sultanate’s airspace is open for all carriers that meet the requirements of the Authority for overflyuing. pic.twitter.com/jNaqqDxZM1
— هيئة الطّيران المدني (@CAAOMN) February 23, 2023
Relations between Oman and Israel
Oman established trade relations with Israel in 1994, after the 1993 Oslo Accords, but broke them off in 2000 after the Second Intifada broke out.
Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.