UAE Confirms Netanyahu’s Visit to Abu Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates has confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a visit to Abu Dhabi over the weekend.

The confirmation came on Monday, a day after Netanyahu made the previously unannounced trip to the UAE capital.

According to the official Emirates News Agency (WAM), the two leaders discussed bilateral relations between the UAE and Israel and ways to strengthen and develop them.

The visit took place about a month before Israel’s Knesset elections, amid growing controversy over reports that Sheikh Mohammed had warned Netanyahu before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that a major operation was being planned.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported earlier this month that Bin Zayed spoke with Netanyahu about 10 days before the attack and warned him about a threat allegedly made by then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

The report also claimed that Bin Zayed had previously alerted Israel’s Shin Bet intelligence agency.

However, Netanyahu’s office denied that the Israeli prime minister had received any advance warning. Netanyahu also accused Haaretz of publishing a fabricated and politically motivated report and said he would sue the newspaper.

Warming UAE-Israel Relations

Relations between the UAE and Israel have strengthened since the two countries established diplomatic ties under the US-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020.

The visit comes as Netanyahu faces domestic political pressure ahead of the October elections. Israeli media reports have said he is facing a strong challenge from former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.

Israel’s Channel 12 first reported Netanyahu’s trip to Abu Dhabi. Israel’s Shin Bet later filed a complaint with the military censor, arguing that the report endangered the prime minister and exposed aspects of the agency’s operational methods.

The October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack killed about 1,195 people in southern Israel and resulted in around 250 people being taken captive, according to the report. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 73,669 Palestinians, according to Al Jazeera.