(Photo: Yossi Aloni/Flash 90)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed this evening (Thursday) that Israel has turned to Oman with a request to approve the passage of Israeli flights over its airspace. According to the ministry’s statement, the request was “through professional technical channels” – but they said that they would not expand on the issue beyond that.
As you may recall, at the beginning of this month, Saudi Arabia officially approved the Israeli airlines to fly over its airspace, which will make it possible to shorten the flight times from Israel to the East. However, at this stage the flights on the shortened route have not yet come to fruition, because Oman has not yet given its own approval to the Israeli flights – something that actually renders the Saudi approval unnecessary and leaves the situation as it was until now.
At this stage it is not clear why Oman is blocking the move, but apparently the principality is interested in some kind of return for the approval of the flights over the country. Officials in Israel said that quiet negotiations are underway behind the scenes to speed up the authorities to approve the flights, which is expected to take between several days and several weeks.
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