- Title: Oman says time to accept Israel in region, offers help for peace
- Date: 27th October 2018
- Summary: MANAMA, BAHRAIN (OCTOBER 27, 2018) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** CONFERENCE HALL SPEAKERS SITTING ON STAGE, INCLUDING OMANI FOREIGN MINISTER, YOUSUF BIN ALAWI (FAR RIGHT) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OMANI FOREIGN MINISTER, YOUSUF BIN ALAWI, SAYING: "Israel is a state present in the region, and we all understand this. The world is also aware of this and maybe
- Embargoed: 10th November 2018 13:09
- Keywords: security summit Oman accepts Israel in region Oman IISS Manama Dialogue Israel peace Middle East Bahrain summit Oman says Israel is part of Middle East Yusuf bin Alawi
- Location: MANAMA, BAHRAIN
- City: MANAMA, BAHRAIN
- Country: Bahrain
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00193UAVK7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: EDIT 5062-ISRAEL-OMAN/ WAS MADE AVAILABLE ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 26, 2018
Oman described Israel as an accepted Middle East state on Saturday (October 27), a day after hosting a surprise visit by its prime minister that Washington said could help regional peace efforts.
Oman is offering ideas to help Israel and the Palestinians to come together but is not acting as mediator, Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, the sultanate's minister responsible for foreign affairs, told a security summit in Bahrain.
His comments followed a rare visit to Oman by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu which came days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas paid a three-day visit to the Gulf country. Both leaders met with Oman's Sultan Qaboos.
Bahrain's foreign minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa voiced support for Oman over the sultanate's role in trying to secure Israeli-Palestinian peace, while Saudi Arabia's foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir said the kingdom believes the key to normalizing relations with Israel was the peace process.
Israel and some Gulf states share an interest in curbing Iran's influence in the region.
Oman has long been to the Middle East what neutral Switzerland is to global diplomacy. The country helped to mediate secret U.S.-Iran talks in 2013 that led to the historic nuclear deal signed in Geneva two years later.
Earlier this year, bin Alawi visited Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque and Netanyahu has on several occasions hinted at warmer ties with Gulf states. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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