In recent weeks, the Sultanate of Oman has been conducting an intensive effort to preserve its position as a neutral mediator in the region, thereby restoring stability in Yemen.
The one paying the price, it seems, is Israel.
About two weeks ago, representatives of the Sultanate held intensive talks to renew the calm in the war in Yemen, between the Houthi militia and the Saudi coalition.
The validity of the hudden between the parties expired in October.
Last month, an Omani delegation landed in Sana'a to discuss the crisis and convey messages from the Saudi side and international parties.
The head of the Houthis' negotiating team, Muhammad Abdel Salam, emphasized that any progress involves the humanitarian issue - which includes, above all, the lifting of the siege on the ports and airports. The fear is that the Houthis will take advantage of their reopening to re-intensify in "Iranian Train" of weapons and munitions.
An Omani delegation has landed to discuss the crisis.
Sana'a airport (archive), photo: Reuters
According to Arab sources, the members of the delegation conducted tough negotiations with al-Salam, but it seems that the efforts only succeeded in preventing the worsening of the economic blockade. Riyadh has returned to reporting in recent days about attacks by the Saudi coalition throughout Yemen.
However, in Oman they did not say desperate and even made sure to meet A-Salam with the Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abd al-Lahyan in Muscat.
The latter was also intended with Sultan Haitham Ben Tarek.
Arab officials estimated that Oman needs Iran, which holds a position of influence over the Houthi militia, which it finances and arms.
In this atmosphere, it seems that Muscat is trying to convey to Tehran that it is not part of the dubious secret-public dubious alliance between Jerusalem and the Gulf states.
The discussion on expanding the boycott law against Israel in the Shura Council in Oman was a clear signal of this.
Round deal
Last summer a round deal was reached between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
In light of a clause in the peace agreement, Israel agreed to give the green light to Egypt to transfer the islands of Tiran and Sanfir to Saudi sovereignty.
In exchange for this, the Arab kingdom opened its airspace to Israeli flights.
The expectation was that Oman would follow the path of its neighbor to the west and pave the way for shorter flights to the Far East, a significant development that could lower fuel costs and even plane tickets.
will meet with A-Salam.
Amir Abdel-Lahyan, the Iranian minister, photo: AFP
Hopes apart and reality apart
However, hopes are separate and reality is separate.
The discussion on expanding the embargo law is intended to convey that normalization with Oman is still far away.
Furthermore, we may be witnessing a roundabout deal concocted by the Iranians on Jerusalem's back: intervention to achieve calm in Yemen in exchange for blocking the airspace for flights.
In this context, it should be remembered that the opening of Oman's airspace, which is relatively close to Iran, may be used by Israel for purposes that are not purely civilian.
The apparent deal is not only a product of Oman's interest in maintaining its neutral status.
It also stems from the fear of the continued consequences of the war in Yemen on the Sultanate, which shares the border with it: whether it is refugees or whether it is the drones of the Houthis, which have already passed through Omani airspace and attacked the United Arab Emirates.
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