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Ashkenazi and Oman FM agree to work towards normalization

Ashkenazi said that he appreciates Oman’s commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East.

AUGUST 17, 2020 18:20

Israel and Oman are holding a dialogue aiming to have official diplomatic ties, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and Oman's minister of state for foreign affairs Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah agreed to keep in contact, strengthen ties between their countries and to “promote the normalization process in the Middle East.”

Bin Abdullah affirmed Oman's support "to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East and the need to resume the peace process negotiations and to fulfill the legitimate demands of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state with east Jerusalem as its capital," the ministry said.

Ashkenazi said that he appreciates Oman’s commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East.

Following the conversation, Ashkenazi wrote on twitter that he and bin Abdullah “discussed recent developments in the region, the normalization agreement with the UAE and the need to strengthen ties between the countries.”

Bin Abdullah also spoke to Jibril Rajoub, secretary general of the central committee of the Palestinian Fatah group.

On Sunday, Ashkenazi and his counterpart in the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan had the first direct phone call between the countries after the UAE unblocked Israeli numbers on Sunday, in a further step towards fully normalized ties.

Hend Al-Otaiba, a UAE spokeswoman tweeted that the foreign ministers "inaugurated a phone link between the United Arab Emirates and the State of Israel following the historic Peace Accord signed by the two countries Friday."

Ashkenazi and bin Zayed agreed to meet soon and continue discussions about the details of the normalization agreement.