Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Abu Dhabi on Sunday, where he held talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. This meeting was confirmed by a senior Israeli official, marking another significant interaction between the two leaders since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2020.
Notably, there was no immediate statement from Netanyahu’s office or the UAE Foreign Ministry following the visit. This development comes in the wake of a report earlier this month by Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which claimed that Sheikh Mohammed had warned Netanyahu approximately ten days before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks about a planned major operation against Israel. However, the report stated that this warning was not relayed to Israeli intelligence or military agencies.
Netanyahu has strongly denied the allegations and has threatened legal action against Haaretz. The Israeli prime minister is currently under pressure amid a challenging reelection campaign, with opposition figures blaming him for security lapses preceding the Hamas assault.
The UAE has refrained from commenting directly on the Haaretz report but emphasized that since the normalization of ties in 2020, it has maintained “open and direct lines of communication” with Israel. A UAE source previously clarified that security discussions occur through appropriate channels rather than at the level of national leaders.
Earlier this year, the UAE also denied reports that President Sheikh Mohammed met Netanyahu following a secret visit by the Israeli prime minister to the Gulf state in March. a source familiar with that meeting, the two leaders convened in Al-Ain, an oasis city near the Oman border, on March 26.
Since the onset of the conflict involving Iran, the UAE has bolstered its alliances with both the United States and Israel. The Abraham Accords, signed in 2020, have facilitated these ties, granting the UAE increased regional influence and a strategic communication channel with Washington.
Leave an opinion