Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met UAE President H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi for talks on bilateral ties and regional challenges, reports Asian Lite News Desk
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi during a previously undisclosed visit, with the two leaders discussing bilateral relations and regional challenges.
The meeting took place on Sunday, September 27, and was officially acknowledged by the UAE on Monday. The Emirati state news agency WAM said Sheikh Mohamed received Netanyahu and that the two sides discussed relations between the UAE and Israel and ways to strengthen and develop them.
Netanyahu’s office confirmed the visit, saying it was made at the invitation of the UAE president and focused on strengthening ties between the two countries and addressing regional challenges.
Three senior Israeli officials told Reuters that the meeting lasted about six hours and focused heavily on Iran. The Israeli account adds a significant regional dimension to the talks, although the UAE’s official statement did not publicly detail discussions on Iran.
The visit was initially kept out of the public domain. Israeli media reported on Netanyahu’s trip before the government formally confirmed it, prompting Israel’s Shin Bet security agency to file a complaint with the military censor over the disclosure. Netanyahu’s office said the report had been published before the prime minister and his delegation had returned to Israel and had endangered their safety.
Netanyahu was reportedly accompanied by senior Israeli security and diplomatic officials, including the head of the Mossad, according to the prime minister’s office. The UAE did not publicly disclose details of the Israeli delegation.
The meeting also comes against the backdrop of a fresh controversy over events before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
An investigation published by Haaretz earlier this month reported that UAE had warned Netanyahu about the possibility of a major Hamas attack before October 7. Netanyahu has denied the report.
The UAE Foreign Ministry also said it does not comment on media reports or speculation concerning conversations between government leaders.
Despite the wider tensions surrounding Israel’s war in Gaza and its regional confrontation with Iran, the UAE and Israel have maintained diplomatic relations established under the US-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020.
