[Oman-l] Re: Oman-Israeli Cooperation

[BaaboodA@aol.com]

In a message dated 08/11/00 09:05:27 GMT Standard Time, 
teitelba@post.tau.ac.il writes:

"If people want to write about what Omanis are saying and writing concerning
Palestine-Israel, that seems to be relevant material for the list.
What do you say, for instance, about Qabus' policy of being very supportive 
of the peace process, particularly playing host to the Middle East 
Desalination Research
Centre, which includes Israelis, and is part of the multilateral talks, and 
is doing important work? It is chaired by Badr bin Hamad Al bu Said".


Azizi Josh

Many thanx. It seems to me that this is more or less what we are doing. As 
Omanis we are expressing our dismay at the level of violence in the Middle 
East and the continual shooting and killing of the Palestinians. 

Sultan Qaboos, his government and the Omani public have been very supportive 
of the Middle East Peace Process and rightly so. Oman has always been in the 
forefront of supporting peace and regional cooperation. The Middle East has 
seen many conflicts and crises and it is about time that we leave all that 
misery behind and enter the 21 Century with a different mentality and a 
positive attitude. The Middle East faces many developmental challenges where 
regional cooperation and not military confrontation is the only collective 
answer.  

The Middle East Desalination Research Centre chaired by HE. Badr bin Hamad Al 
bu Said is only one of many areas of Oman extending cooperation with Israel. 
There was reciprocal trade offices between Oman and Israel and other 
commercial cooperation. Israelis have participated in many events in Oman 
including trade shows and conferences and only very recent there were several 
Israeli strategists and academics at an arms control conference in Muscat.

The Arab side have reconciled themselves and have, since a long time, 
accepted peace, international legality and peaceful coexistence as a 
strategic option. In  my views Israel has not been able to come to term with 
itself and with its neighbours. It talks about peace but has the mentality of 
war. Look at the way its handling the recent eruption of violence. Blinkered 
with its military might, it is still occupying Arab lands, dragging peace 
negotiations, intimidating, squeezing and pushing the Palestinians to the 
brink. No one wants to be killed and those young Palestinians who face 
Israeli bullets are no exception. They had enough of Israeli racist policies 
and ugly occupation. They have been pushed to the end!

Sharon's dramatic entry into the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the heavy handed Israeli 
tactics with the subsequent intifadah alienated public opinion against Israel 
in an unprecedented level. The Omani public went to the streets for the first 
time in recent history outraged by this recent tragedies. The Israeli trade 
office was closed because the government and the people believe that Israel 
is not serious about peace. It would also prove difficult to continue with 
other areas of cooperation under such circumstances. The same is happening in 
other Arab countries where Israeli policies have been alienating public 
opinion, creating more enemies and losing friends and sympathy.

The Omanis and the Arabs in general have no problem with a peaceful Israel. 
Israel that returns back Arab occupied lands and live within a secured 
internationally recognised borders. Israel that accepts international 
legality and respects human rights for its Palestinian minority. Israel that 
acts as an integral Middle Eastern State and not an alien super power.  

Oman and the Arabs have shown that they have accepted Israel and can deal 
with it in every respect but are appalled by its policies and actions.

Salaam, Shalom and Peace

Abdulla