JaFaJ intelligence sources in Oman have confirmed that Oman’s Sultanate will most likely be the next Arab state to make peace with Israel and normalize relations.
Omani delegates and intelligence officers have been visiting Israel and meeting with their counterparts since 2018. Nonetheless, communications between the two countries have increased to an unprecedented level since the UAE announced that they are normalizing ties with Israel on August 13, 2020. Additionally, sources have also confirmed that Omani leaders have been pressing Israel to expedite the announcement of normalization between the two countries.
To date, Israel has been prudent, fearing that a quick announcement could create friction between UAE and Oman. Historically, the UAE and Oman have had good ties but differences over their positions towards the civil war in Yemen, as well as Oman’s semi-friendly ties with Iran, while the UAE has been working for almost a decade to limit Iran’s influence in the Gulf.
Israel told the Sultanate to ‘be patient and wait” until President Trump’s advisor (Jared Kushner) concludes his visit to Israel and the Gulf States in an effort to “Iron things out”. The Israelis assured the Omanis, “We’re talking weeks, not months”.
On one hand, the Omani government has been content with Israel’s request, and are willing to wait until the proper time to revisit the issue.
On the other hand, the UAE has expressed to the Israelis that it would not mind a peace agreement between Israel and Oman, noting “We do not consider Oman a rival, but a sister Arab state”. A UAE official has confided to Israeli sources that “Oman will join the peace band soon, and many Gulf states will follow, sooner rather than later”.