AJC Praises Omani Leader, Urges Deepening of Relations With Israel

American Jewish Committee
Sunday, 5 March 2000

The American Jewish Committee yesterday presented the Sultan of Oman with its Leadership Award for Peace.

"We stand in solidarity with the peacemakers," AJC President Bruce M. Ramer said, referring to Oman's support for the Arab-Israeli peace process and the continued development of economic and political relations with Israel.

Mr. Ramer also saluted Oman's longstanding economic and strategic relationship with the United States, including cooperation in Gulf security efforts.

Oman's deputy prime minister, His Highness Said Fahad Bin Mahmoud al-Said, who accepted the award on behalf of Sultan Qaboos bin Said, declared: "We are friends."

Oman was the only Arab country to keep its embassy open in Cairo after Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's historic 1978 visit to Israel, which led the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty.

In 1996, Oman and Israel signed a cooperation agreement to open trade offices in Muscat and Tel Aviv. Six months later Oman withdrew its envoy as the peace process slowed down, though it maintained its office in Israel. The office of the Israeli Trace Representative to Oman has remained open and staffed.

The award presentation came at the end of an hourlong meeting with the deputy Prime Minister, the Sultanate's second-highest government official, and with Foreign Minister Yousuf Bin Alawi. During the meeting at the office of the deputy prime minister, Mr. Ramer urged Oman to return its trade representative to Tel Aviv "to send a signal" to Israel and the Arab world.

The Omani officials said the time was not yet right to return their envoy. However, they expressed a desire to increase cooperation with Israel by establishing a "Qualified Industrial Zone," similar to the Israeli-Jordan accord creating an industrial zone in Jordan where the two countries have established joint ventures. In recent months, two senior Omani diplomats visited Israel for high-level government metings, and two Israeli cargo ships called in the Omani port of Salalah.

The AJC leadership delegation met with Israel's envoy in Muscat, Ambassador Shmuel Moyal, who expressed optimism about deepening Israeli-Omani ties. The 23-member delegation also met with U.S. Embassy officials.

At a luncheon hosted by Foreign Minister Bin Alawi, Mr. Ramer presented him with two AJC books, the American Jewish Yearbook and Understanding Jewish History, which the Minister said he looked forward to reading.

The AJC delegation arrived in Oman on Friday after visiting the United Arab Emirates, and is continuing on a multi-nation tour that includes Qatar, Jordan, Israel, Germany and Tunisia.

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org