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In historic move, Oman opens air space to Israeli flights
February 23, 2023
The announcement came after months of talks between the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the authorities in Muscat
In a historic decision, Oman announced Thursday it opened its aerial space to the passage of Israeli aircraft. Oman's civil aviation authority on Thursday confirmed that it approved overflight rights for all Israeli carriers that meet the sultanate's requirements.
Oman's civil aviation authority on Thursday said the sultanate's airspace will be open for all carriers that meet the authority's requirements for overflying.
Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said that the "historic decision will shorten the road to Asia, lower costs for Israeli citizens and help Israeli airlines to be more competitive. I thank the Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq Al Said and our American friends for their substantial help in the success of the move."
The announcement came after months of talks between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the authorities in Oman.
It comes in the wake of Israel's 2020 normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain—Oman's neighbors on the Arabian Peninsula—collectively known as the Abraham Accords.
Last year U.S. President Joe Biden said that a Saudi air corridor for Israeli carriers might be implemented. Israeli officials had said the corridor could not be implemented until Muscat consented because it would also entail flying over Oman.