Manama: Oman has said that it was time to acknowledge Israel’s existence. The statement came a day after a secret meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Sultan Qaboos bin Said.
Foreign Minister Yusuf Bin Alawi said at the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain on Saturday “I will say this for the first time; Israel is a state that is present in this region and we all know this… Maybe it is time for Israel to be treated the same and also bear the same obligations as other countries.”
Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at Omani capital, Muscat, on Thursday in a secret flight to meet Sultan Qaboos bin Said. It was the first visit by an Israeli leader since 1996.
It must be recalled that a few days ago Palestinian president Mahmood Abbas had a 3-day visit to Gulf countries. Both the leaders met Sultan Qaboos of Oman.
The only two Arab states that currently have diplomatic ties with Israel are Egypt and Jordan.