First Israeli commercial flight passes through Oman airspace after controversial 'corridor' agreement

A commercial flight by Israel’s national carrier flew over Oman on Sunday night, days after the two countries agreed on a controversial overflight agreement.

The El Al flight from Tel Aviv to the Thai capital Bangkok was the first Israeli commercial flight to fly through Oman's airspace.

The flight, which moves through Saudi airspace before that of Oman, is also scheduled for Monday and Tuesday night.

The flight over Oman came after Muscat and Tel Aviv reached an overflight agreement last week.

Oman has not joined other Gulf states - the UAE and Bahrain - in agreeing to normalise ties with Israel, and such an agreement would likely be highly controversial in the country.

Last year, Saudi Arabia - which also does not recognise Israel - granted Israeli flights permission to fly over the Gulf kingdom.

Israel has been courting both countries to establish formal ties for years but so far, to no avail.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did visit Oman in 2018, during a previous term in office, to meet former Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

Three Arab countries - Bahrain, Morocco and the UAE - normalised ties with Israel after signing the US-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020.

Sudan, which also pledged to noramlise ties, said it would be moving forward with the plan after a visit by the Israeli foreign minister to Khartoum earlier this month.

Muscat had previously refused to allow Israeli flights over Omani airspace.

Oman's parliament voted in December to expand on a law that criminalises ties with Israel. 

Oman is known for its mediatory role in the Middle East - it was the setting for negotiations for an international nuclear deal with Iran, a longtime adversary of Israel and the US.

It has also hosted talks between the Houthis and Yemeni government.