Oman makes calls to Israel minister, Palestinian Fatah official

Israel's intelligence minister on Sunday said Oman, alongside Bahrain, could be the next Gulf country to follow the UAE in formalising ties with Israel.

Oman's minister of state for foreign affairs Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah spoke to Israel's foreign minister and in a separate call to an official from the Palestinian political group Fatah, Oman's foreign ministry said on Monday.

Oman, which has maintained its neutrality in a turbulent region, has said it supports the United Arab Emirates' decision on Thursday to normalize ties with Israel. Speaking to Israeli foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi, Bin Abdullah said Oman supported a "comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East" and that negotiation on an Israel-Palestine peace process needed to resume.

Bin Abdullah also spoke to Jibril Rajoub, secretary general of the central committee of the Palestinian Fatah group, and emphasized the depth of Oman's relationship with Palestinians. The U.S.-sponsored UAE-Israel deal has been seen as firming up opposition to regional power Iran, which Gulf states, Israel, and the United States view as the main threat in the conflict-riven Middle East.

Oman maintains friendly ties with a wide range of countries and organizations involved in the region including arch foes the United States and Iran. Israel's intelligence minister on Sunday said Oman, alongside Bahrain, could be the next Gulf country to follow the UAE in formalizing ties with Israel. Oman has made no comment on the subject.