UAE Confirms Netanyahu Visit, Discussed Strengthening Bilateral Ties

The UAE's official news agency confirmed on Monday that President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the previous day. The leaders discussed strengthening and upgrading relations between the two countries. This official confirmation came after a period of silence from Abu Dhabi regarding the meeting, which an unofficial source described as a "secret meeting" to avoid disrupting positive developments.

The significance of this second meeting within a few months suggests the UAE views its relationship with Israel as a long-term strategic partnership, independent of who leads the Israeli government. Netanyahu's discreet visit took place on Sunday, flying on a private jet owned by an Israeli businessman. He departed from Ben Gurion Airport shortly after noon, landing in Abu Dhabi at 3:10 PM and returning to Israel by 10:00 PM.

This marks Netanyahu's second visit to the UAE in the past year. His previous visit, during Operation "Iron Swords," was also met with denials of a meeting from Abu Dhabi. The current meeting occurs amid reports that Netanyahu received a warning from the UAE president in the days before the October 7th Hamas attack.

According to reports, any relevant information was shared through intelligence channels between the two nations. Furthermore, it was revealed that during a conversation with CIA Director Bill Burns months after the war began, President bin Zayed stated he had issued a general warning to Netanyahu about the possibility of violent escalation. While the exact timing of the conversation with Netanyahu is unclear, sources indicate it was a general concern about the situation with Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, rather than a specific threat.