Oman is preparing to join Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates in recognizing Israel, Arab diplomats are claiming.
According to a report Monday morning in Israel Hayom which quoted multiple senior Arab diplomats and officials, Oman is now widely expected to join Bahrain and the UAE in establishing formal diplomatic ties with the Jewish state, including full normalization of relations and direct flights.
This despite a senior UAE official noting that Oman is one of the only Arab states in the Gulf region which maintains a positive dialogue with the Iranian regime.
A second diplomat was quoted as saying that Oman’s relations with Iran were the only reason it has yet to openly recognize Israel.
“The reason it hasn’t yet agreed to full and open relations is the reasonable possibility that this could harm its relations with Iran significantly.”
The second official added that part of Bahrain’s calculations in deciding whether to recognize Israel were also affected by concerns over Iran’s reaction, noting that while the ruling dynasty in Bahrain is Sunni, more than 60% of the Muslim population there is Shi’ite, giving Iran significant influence over the country.
But, the official continued, “After the United Arab Emirates reached a deal with Israel with the support of the Saudis, in Manama [Bahrain’s capital] they understood that they can rely on the support of Riyadh…and they joined on to the historic peace agreement, which will benefit all sides. Therefore, it is pretty clear that additional states will join soon.”
On the other hand, other Arab diplomats agree that Saudi Arabia itself will not move to recognize Israel formally or to establish full relations, due to its obligations to the Palestinian Authority.
Israeli Premier Binyamin Netanyahu, his wife Sara, and his sons Yair and Avner departed for Washington late Sunday night for the signing of the Abraham Accords in Washington Tuesday.