In 1st, Oman Opens Its Airspace to Israeli Airlines, Planes Flying to Israel

Oman announced on Thursday afternoon that it would open its airspace to all civilian air carriers, tacitly allowing Israeli airlines and air carriers that travel to Israel to use its airspace. Oman’s Civil Aviation Authority in a statement said that it would comply with the provisions of the Chicago Convention of 1944 and would implement the international requirements of non-discrimination of civil aircraft of all countries of the International Civil Aviation Organization. Oman, located at the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, borders Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. In August, Saudi Arabia, which like Oman does not have official diplomatic relations with Israel, opened its airspace to planes owned by or traveling to Israel.  The announcement came after months of talks between Israel’s Foreign Ministry and authorities in Oman, according to reports. Following the announcement, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen, thanked Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said for his help in advancing the decision, calling it “an historic and significant decision for the Israeli economy and the Israeli traveler.” While Israelis celebrated the move, some Omanis responded to the announcement on social media saying they were outraged by the decision and decrying it as another step toward normalization.