Israel Today-Adapted
The Sultanate of Oman has been exerting intensive efforts lately to maintain its standing as a neutral mediator in the region and restore stability to Yemen. Yet, Israel is the one that pays the price.

About two weeks ago, representatives of Oman conducted several calls to resume calm in the war between the Houthi militia and the Saudi coalition in Yemen. The truce between the two parties ended in October.

In Oman, they were keen to hold a meeting between Abdulsalam, head negotiator of the Houthi group, and Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Muscat. The latter met the Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. Arab sources estimated that Oman needs Iran, which has influence on the Houthi militia which funds it with money and weapons. Muscat seems that it attempts to inform Tehran that it is not a part of the alliance between Al-Quds and the Gulf. This was confirmed through the Shura Council's examination to expand the law of boycotting Israel.

Oman was expected to follow the path of Saudi Arabia and open the airspace to the Israeli aircraft, but hope is on one side and reality is on another side. Expanding the law of boycotting Israel is to indicate that the normalization of relations with Oman is still far away.

The realized transaction is not only the result of Oman's interest in maintaining a neutral position. It also stems from the fear of continuing the war in Yemen against the Sultanate, which is shared by borders: whether it is about refugees or about Houthi marches that passed through Omani airspace before and attacked the UAE.