BOAC:
Leaving visuals into TLV aside, are there any examples of the development of an RNAV circling type approach? OBN/Aterp?
None in the U.S. But, the U.S. presently has 292 RNP AR IAPs, many of which have curved flight paths (ARINC radius-to-fix, or "RF" legs) to avoid terrain and line up with final. These are IMC approaches to a DA.
I would envision an RNAV circle to land to be "assisted" circle to land in VMC. I think you and I agree that it may turn out to not be such a good idea.
The bar is set quite high to play in the RNP AR sandbox, but the Air Bus that crashed fully meets the airframe and avionics requirements for RNP AR. The other part of the equation is crew and flight ops technical qualifications.
But, the terrain at OPRN would support a conventional RNAV IAP quite easily. It could even arrive far enough from the northwest over the mountains where no part of the procedure would have to pass over the restricted airspace to the south of Runway 12's final approach course.