[Netanyahu was accompanied by his wife Sara and his delegation included Mossad intelligence chief Yossi Cohen and National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat. (Image tweeted by Netanyahu)]
Jerusalem: Accompanied by the chief of the infamous Israeli intellegence agency Mossad Benjamin Netanyahu visited Sultanate of Oman on Thursday and held talks with Sultan Qaboos.
The office of Israeli's Prime Minister in a statement said Netanyahu's first ever visit to Oman was of the Isareli policy of "deepening relations with the states of the region".
The statement further said that the visit came at the invitation of Sultan Qaboos and followed "lengthy contacts between the two countries".
The Israeli delegation reportedly flew to Oman on Thursday and returned to Israel on Friday.
The trip is a major coup for Netanyahu, who has said he wants to bolster ties with the Arab world despite a stalemate on the Palestinian front, according to AFP.
"A special visit in Oman -- we're making history!" Netanyahu wrote on Twitter, posting a video of his reception and meeting.
Netanyahu was accompanied by his wife Sara and his delegation included Mossad intelligence chief Yossi Cohen and National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat.
Oman's state broadcaster showed Netanyahu and his delegation walking alongside Sultan Qaboos -- who has rarely been seen in recent pictures -- and other Omani officials in traditional garb.
In 1994, then-Israeli premier Yitzhak Rabin visited Oman, and acting prime minister Shimon Peres also made a visit in 1996 when the two countries agreed to open trade representative offices. Oman closed the offices in October 2000 after the outbreak of the second Palestinian intifada.
Israel currently has full diplomatic relations with only two Arab states, Egypt and Jordan.
Netanyahu's visit comes amid the tension between Saudi Arabia, UAE and their allies in the region with Qatar over its relation with Iran. Oman is also considered as close to Iran. Saudi Arabia, UAE and other GCC nations accuse Iran of meddling in the affairs of the region and of spreading terrorism and creating unrest.
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