Boycott of Israel still in effect, Omani official tells 'Post'
By Michael Freund The Jerusalem Post, June 8, 2006
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1149572639138&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFullFive months after signing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US, Omancontinues to restrict the import of Israeli-made goods despite a pledge madeto the US that it would not boycott the Jewish state, The Jerusalem Post haslearned."No, no. Products from Israel are not permitted because of the boycott,"Mohammad Nasser of Oman's Directorate General of Customs said by phone. "Ifsomeone brings products from Israel, they will be confiscated. You might putyourself in problems if you do that," he said.Nasser noted that the customs department was merely following rules that hadbeen laid down by Oman's government, which he said were in line with the"Arab League ban" on Israel.He added that even catalogs of commercial products that mention Israel wouldlikely be seized by Omani customs authorities.In January, Oman's Minister of Commerce and Industry Maqbool bin Ali Sultanand US Trade Representative Rob
Portman signed a free trade deal aimed ateliminating tariffs and other barriers to trade. The deal now awaits finalCongressional approval before taking effect, though a number of Democratshave expressed concern over Oman's labor practices.As part of the talks, Oman had assured the US that it was not enforcing theArab boycott, and a press release issued by Portman's office to mark thesigning asserted that, "Oman does not apply the Arab League boycott ofIsrael." But a senior customs official at Oman's largest airport insisted byphone that the Gulf Arab sultanate continues to bar entry to Israeli-madegoods."No products from Israel are allowed," said Badr al-Mawari, chief of customsofficers at Seeb International Airport outside Muscat, the Omani capital."If it is a personal item or two, they will probably not check. But if it isfor marketing or to sell, then it is not allowed," he said.Al-Mawari insisted that goods found to have been made in Israel would beimpounded. "When you leave the
country, you might get it back," he said.In 1996 Oman and Israel agreed to open respective trade missions in the twocountries, but they were later closed after the Palestinians launched thesecond intifada in October 2000.The Omani policy of boycotting Israeli-made goods appears to run counter toits obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization, which it joinedsix years ago. The international body requires its members to refrain fromengaging in discriminatory trade practices, such as boycotts, against fellowmember states.