Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a clandestine meeting in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, marking the first time the UAE has officially confirmed such a gathering between the two leaders. Both governments announced the visit late Monday, emphasizing discussions on bolstering bilateral ties and addressing shared regional challenges.
The diplomatic engagement follows a recent revelation by Israeli media that Sheikh Mohamed had warned Netanyahu about an impending Hamas attack prior to the October 7, 2023, assaults. Reports indicated that the prime minister allegedly failed to relay this intelligence to Israel’s security apparatus.
According to Israeli broadcaster Channel 12, Netanyahu’s primary objective during the trip was to request that the UAE president publicly deny having issued such a warning. Netanyahu’s office swiftly rejected these allegations, stating that the prime minister had not made any such request. The office also reiterated its denial of the original report regarding the 2023 warning.
Tensions regarding media coverage surfaced earlier on Monday when Israel’s domestic security service, Shin Bet, filed a complaint with the Chief Military Censor. The complaint accused Channel 12 of violating censorship regulations by broadcasting details of the secret visit while Netanyahu’s plane was still outside Israeli airspace. The prime minister’s office stated that the premature report endangered the lives of the premier, his wife, and the delegation, which included the head of the Mossad spy agency.
The meeting occurs against a backdrop of strained relations between the two nations. While the UAE condemned the Hamas attacks as a “serious and grave escalation,” it has also criticized ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza, which have resulted in significant Palestinian casualties. Despite these friction points, the UAE remains one of the few Arab countries with formal diplomatic relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords, established during the administration of former US President Donald Trump.
During the recent conflict between Israel and Iran, Israel reportedly deployed Iron Dome defense systems and operational personnel to the UAE to help counter retaliatory strikes from Tehran.
Skepticism high. They likely discussed Iron Dome deployments before anything else, but the PR spin is wild.
Why would Netanyahu want them to deny the warning? The political fallout here seems inevitable and messy.
I was surprised they finally admitted to the meeting. The secrecy level was unnecessary for a diplomatic visit.
Still flying with Mossad? That complaint to the censor feels extremely out of touch and unprofessional.