ABU DHABI — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an unannounced visit to Abu Dhabi on Sunday and met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to a senior Israeli official, in a reported high-level meeting between the two countries.
Netanyahu’s office and the UAE Foreign Ministry had not immediately commented on the reported visit, according to Reuters.
The reported meeting comes amid heightened attention on Israel-UAE communications and follows recent reports about warnings allegedly conveyed by the UAE leadership to Israel before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
Reported meeting in Abu Dhabi
The visit was reported by Reuters, citing a senior Israeli official. Details of the discussions between Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohammed were not immediately disclosed.
The reported trip also comes as Netanyahu faces domestic political pressure in Israel over security issues surrounding the events preceding the October 7 Hamas attack.
Israeli opposition figures have criticised Netanyahu over alleged security failures before the attack. Netanyahu has rejected reports concerning a warning that was allegedly communicated by the UAE leadership before the October 7 attack.
UAE-Israel ties remain under scrutiny
The UAE and Israel established diplomatic relations in 2020 under the US-brokered Abraham Accords. Since then, the two countries have developed diplomatic, economic and security ties, although their relationship has faced increased scrutiny amid the regional conflict.
The UAE has previously said that it maintains open and direct channels of communication with Israel.
A UAE source previously told Reuters that security matters are discussed through the “relevant entities” rather than necessarily at the level of national leaders.
Previous reports of Netanyahu-UAE meeting
The reported visit is also notable because Netanyahu’s office had previously said that the Israeli prime minister secretly visited the UAE earlier this year.
According to a source familiar with that meeting, Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohammed met on March 26 in Al Ain, an oasis city in Abu Dhabi near the UAE’s border with Oman.
The UAE had previously denied that the two leaders had met on that occasion.
Strategic importance of UAE-Israel relations
The UAE-Israel relationship has strategic significance in the wider Middle East. The Abraham Accords opened a new channel for diplomatic and economic engagement between Israel and several Arab states.
For the UAE, maintaining relationships with both Israel and the United States provides channels for dialogue on regional security and diplomatic issues.
The latest reported meeting comes as regional governments continue to navigate the broader consequences of the conflict in the Middle East and evolving diplomatic relationships.
This report is based on information from Reuters and Daily Sabah. Further details about the reported Abu Dhabi meeting were not immediately available.
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