Oman’s grand mufti issues stark warning against Israel normalisation

The grand mufti of Oman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamad al-Khalili, has issued a warning against rushing towards normalisation with Israel, describing it as a "losing deal" with an "expired authority".

In a statement on X, he wrote: "How do those who cling to a relationship with a vanishing entity and expired authority cling to it? Don’t they fear that normalising will be a losing deal? What a calamity."

"It is strange that some countries want to normalise relations with the Zionist enemy, while they themselves see that this entity is vanishing, and its people are keen on continuing the war in order to maintain its existence," he continued.

The statement marks the first time the sultanate’s grand mufti has made an explicit comment against normalisation.

Since the controversial Abraham Accords in 2020 which saw Israel normalise ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Morocco, al-Khalili has stressed on more than one occasion that establishing that establishing ties with "the Zionist occupation" represents "a betrayal of the nation and a concession of the historical rights of the Palestinian people".

Al-Khalili’s comments garnered widespread responses on social media, with activists and commentators praising his "firm and courageous" stance.

Others called him a "voice of conscience for the nation," while others noted that other official religious leaders were silent on the matter.

Since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023, al-Khalili has been vocal in his support of Palestine and his rejection of all aggression on the besieged enclave.

He previously issued sharp statements detailing his "pride and steadfastness of the Palestinian people," stressing that people in Gaza are carrying out "one of the greatest forms of jihad for the sake of God".

The Islamic leader called on the Islamic nations to "take a practical stand," with Palestine and not be satisfied with just prayers and symbolic solidarity, adding that "supporting the oppressed in Gaza is an individual duty for every capable person".

Commentators hinted that al-Khalili has been hinting at normalising nations when he wrote that the war on Gaza "revealed the masks and exposed the cowardly".

In September 2024, Oman’s Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali bin Issa Al-Harthy told Russian media that Muscat categorically rejects any prospect of a deal with Israel.

"The most important thing right now is not whether there will be normalisation or not, but how to achieve a solution to the Palestinian issue and ensure Palestinians' rights," said Al-Harthy.

Out of Gulf countries, Oman has been one of the strongest opponents of the war on Gaza and repeatedly called for a ceasefire, wary that the conflict in the Palestinian enclave has the potential to engulf the region.