UAE Confirms Netanyahu Visit Amid Reports of Pre-War Hamas Attack Warning

The United Arab Emirates officially confirmed on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the country the previous day and met with its president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. This marks the first official statement from the UAE regarding such a visit since relations with Israel were established. The confirmation comes amid reports that a key objective of Netanyahu's meeting was to request that Sheikh Mohamed deny claims he had issued an early warning to Netanyahu about an impending Hamas attack before the October 7, 2023, massacre. The UAE's official statement made no mention of this issue or any denial.

The UAE statement said, "President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, welcomed the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited the UAE yesterday, Sunday. During the meeting, the two discussed bilateral relations between the UAE and Israel and ways to strengthen and develop them." Earlier reports indicated that the meeting's purpose was to ask bin Zayed to refute a previous publication by the newspaper "Haaretz," which alleged that the UAE president had warned Netanyahu of the approaching Hamas attack before October 7. This was reported by the Associated Press.

Netanyahu's discreet six-hour visit to the UAE was intended to remain under the radar, with plans for a joint announcement with the Emirates only after the Israeli delegation's return. However, the visit's exposure by Israel's Channel 12 news preempted these plans, with news of the trip breaking in Israel before the delegation had even returned home.

Following the leak, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) filed a complaint with the Chief Military Censor, demanding legal action against Channel 12 for a "serious censorship offense." The Shin Bet argued that the timing of the leak endangered the prime minister, the operation, and the forces involved, and exposed the agency's operational methods, thereby increasing the risk for future operations. The agency stated the publication jeopardized the lives of the prime minister, his wife, and the delegation members, including the head of the Mossad, the National Security Advisor, and military and security officials. The complaint specifically highlighted that the flight was revealed while the plane was still far from Israeli airspace. The Mossad also issued an opinion stating the leak posed a severe security threat to the prime minister and the delegation, damaging Israel's national security.