UAE Confirms Netanyahu Visit Amid Reports of Pre-Oct. 7 Warning

The United Arab Emirates has officially confirmed a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. This marks the first official Emirati confirmation of Netanyahu's recent visit to Abu Dhabi. The confirmation comes amid ongoing controversy surrounding an alleged warning from Sheikh Mohamed to Netanyahu prior to the October 7th Hamas attacks.

The UAE's official news agency stated that the leaders discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance them. Notably, the statement did not deny reports claiming Sheikh Mohamed had warned Netanyahu of a potential Hamas offensive before October 7th. Unlike previous visits by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, the UAE did not release photos of this meeting.

Following the UAE's statement, Netanyahu's office also confirmed the visit, stating that the Prime Minister and his wife were invited by Sheikh Mohamed to discuss bilateral ties and regional challenges. However, the Associated Press, citing a source with direct knowledge, reported that Netanyahu had asked Sheikh Mohamed to deny the pre-attack warning reports, a denial that was absent from the official Emirati statement.

Netanyahu's office later issued its own denial, calling the Associated Press report "fake news" and reiterating that the visit focused solely on strengthening relations and regional challenges.

Separately, the Shin Bet security agency filed a complaint with military censorship against Israel's Channel 12. The complaint, according to the Prime Minister's office, was for a "serious censorship violation" related to reporting Netanyahu's travel to the UAE before his plane had returned to Israel, which they claimed endangered lives. Channel 12 responded that the report was political, timed amid the controversy over the alleged warning, and was published after Netanyahu's plane had landed, thus posing no danger.