Against the backdrop of the terror flight: the incitement against Israel coming from the religious leadership in Oman
The article exposes anti-Israeli incitement by Oman's Grand Mufti, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Khalili, against the backdrop of the terror flight affair from Dubai. Al-Khalili, who has held the position since 1975, attacks Israel and openly expresses support for Hamas, calling the October 7 attackers "brave heroes." The article describes his great power and extreme influence on young people in Oman, noting that only after the death of Sultan Qaboos did he dare to publish inciting messages.
The article, published on Channel 14 against the backdrop of the terror flight affair from Dubai, exposes consistent anti-Israeli incitement by Oman's Grand Mufti, Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al-Khalili. Al-Khalili, born in 1942, has held the position since November 1975, and is considered one of the most influential religious figures in the country and a symbol of the Ibadi tradition. The article quotes his tweets from October 7, 2023, in which he praised the "brave Palestinian resistance," and in October 2024 called Hamas attackers "brave heroes" facing a "cruel enemy." The article claims that Al-Khalili accumulated great power over decades, and that only after the death of Sultan Qaboos, who appointed him, did he dare to publish inciting messages. It further claims that his influence on young people in Oman is "extremely extreme and destructive." The article notes that it is unclear what degree of influence he had on the terrorist pilot in the terror flight affair, but links the incitement to the event. Additionally, a video from November 2023 is presented showing students enacting a parade of the Al-Qassam Brigades, as evidence of change in Oman under the new sultan.