UAE Confirms Netanyahu’s Secret Visit: What Was On The Agenda?

The United Arab Emirates on Monday confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi over the weekend, a day after Israeli media first reported the previously undisclosed visit.

The meeting took place on Sunday, according to the UAE’s state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM). The agency said the two leaders discussed “bilateral relations between the UAE and Israel and ways to strengthen and develop them”.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said the talks focused on “strengthening relations between the two countries and regional challenges”.

Iran On Agenda

Reuters reported that three senior Israeli officials said the meeting focused on Iran and lasted several hours. A separate Israeli source familiar with the visit told CNN that discussions were dominated by Iran.

The UAE has maintained diplomatic relations with Israel since the two countries established ties under the US-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020.

At the same time, Abu Dhabi has maintained channels with Tehran. The UAE's Foreign Ministry said earlier this month that UAE and Israeli government entities have maintained “open and direct lines of communication” and that “all relevant intelligence” continues to be communicated between the appropriate entities.

MBZ Warning To Netanyahu Before October 7 Attack

The meeting also took place against the backdrop of a report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

On September 9, Haaretz reported that Sheikh Mohamed had spoken to Netanyahu by phone around 10 days before the October 7, 2023 attack and warned him about a threat allegedly made by then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

According to the report, Sheikh Mohamed told Netanyahu that Sinwar was preparing a “huge surprise”. Haaretz also reported that the Emirati leader had previously alerted Israel’s Shin Bet intelligence agency.

Netanyahu’s office has denied the report. Netanyahu called the account “fabricated” and “politically motivated” and said he would sue Haaretz.

The UAE has not publicly confirmed that Sheikh Mohamed gave Netanyahu such a warning. Its Foreign Ministry has said it does not comment on media reports or speculation about conversations between government leaders.

Was Netanyahu Seeking A Denial?

The reported warning was also linked to the circumstances surrounding Netanyahu’s trip.

The Associated Press reported that Netanyahu travelled to Abu Dhabi to ask Sheikh Mohamed to deny the report that he had been warned about an impending Hamas attack before October 7. The report cited a person with firsthand knowledge of the meeting and another regional official briefed on the discussions.

UAE's statement on the meeting made no reference to the alleged October 7 warning. Instead, WAM described the discussions in terms of UAE-Israel relations and their further development.

Israel’s Shin Bet also filed a complaint with the country’s military censor over Channel 12’s report about Netanyahu’s secret trip, saying the report endangered the prime minister and exposed operational methods, according to AP.

Netanyahu’s Previous UAE Visit

The latest trip is not the first time Netanyahu has made an undisclosed visit to the UAE.

In May, Netanyahu’s office said he had secretly visited the country in March during the early stages of the Iran conflict and described the trip as a “historic breakthrough”. The UAE Foreign Ministry disputed that account at the time, calling the claim “completely unfounded”.

The two countries have continued diplomatic and security contacts since establishing formal relations in 2020.

Why The Visit Is Significant Now

Netanyahu’s latest visit came roughly a month before Israel’s October 27 election and amid domestic scrutiny over the events preceding the October 7 attack.

The Hamas-led attack on southern Israel killed around 1,200 people and resulted in about 250 people being taken hostage, according to figures cited by AP. Israel subsequently launched its military campaign in Gaza.

The alleged warning from Sheikh Mohamed remains disputed. Netanyahu’s office has denied receiving such a warning, while the UAE has not confirmed the reported conversation.