Netanyahu made an unannounced trip to Abu Dhabi and met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed
Iran reportedly dominated the talks, with Israel and the UAE having expanded security cooperation amid the wider regional conflict
The visit comes amid fresh scrutiny over reports that Sheikh Mohamed warned Netanyahu about a possible Hamas attack before October 7, 2023
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the United Arab Emirates on Sunday and met President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, CNN reported, in an undisclosed trip that comes as the region remains affected by tensions involving Israel and Iran.
The visit had not been publicly announced before CNN reported it. The meeting brought together the leaders of Israel and the UAE, which established diplomatic relations under the Abraham Accords in 2020.
Secret UAE Visit
According to CNN, Netanyahu travelled to the UAE on Sunday and held talks with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.
The report did not say when the visit was arranged or provide details of the discussions beyond the meeting between the two leaders.
The UAE has maintained diplomatic relations with Israel since the 2020 normalisation agreement, making it one of the Arab states that has formally established ties with the country.
Regional Tensions
The visit comes as Israel continues to navigate a wider regional security crisis involving Iran and other armed groups in the Middle East.
Netanyahu has repeatedly argued that Israel’s security requires confronting threats from Iran and its allies, while Gulf Arab states have sought to manage the consequences of regional conflict for their own security and economic interests.
The UAE’s position has included maintaining diplomatic and economic engagement with Israel while also calling for regional de-escalation.
Israel-UAE Ties
Israel and the UAE formally established diplomatic relations under the Abraham Accords during the Trump administration in 2020, alongside Bahrain and later other Arab states.
The relationship has since expanded across areas including trade, investment, tourism and security cooperation. The two countries have also maintained high-level political contacts despite disagreements over Israel’s military operations and the wider regional conflict.
The UAE has continued to maintain relations with Israel while publicly supporting Palestinian statehood and calling for a political resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Netanyahu’s previously undisclosed meeting with Sheikh Mohamed therefore comes against a backdrop of both longstanding bilateral ties and wider regional tensions.
