The United Arab Emirates issued its first official statement Monday regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s previously unannounced visit to the Gulf state and his meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Sunday. The official Emirates News Agency (WAM) stated: “UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited the UAE yesterday, Sunday. During the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral relations between the UAE and Israel and ways to strengthen and further develop them.”
1+The statement marks the UAE’s first public acknowledgment of the visit, which was initially revealed by Israeli media while Netanyahu was still in the country. A senior Israeli official subsequently confirmed the meeting to Reuters, while neither the Prime Minister’s Office nor Emirati officials initially provided details about the talks. In a potentially significant development, Saudi representatives were reportedly also present during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s previously undisclosed visit
According to Israeli reporting, Netanyahu traveled to Abu Dhabi aboard a private aircraft and was accompanied by senior Israeli security officials, including Mossad Director Roman Gofman and National Security Adviser Shmuel Ben Ezra. The visit lasted approximately six hours and had reportedly been coordinated in advance, with the two countries initially planning to announce it only after the Israeli delegation returned home.
1+The meeting comes as ties between Jerusalem and Abu Dhabi continue to carry significant strategic weight amid heightened regional tensions. Israel and the UAE established diplomatic relations under the 2020 Abraham Accords and have since expanded cooperation in areas including trade, tourism, technology and security.
The timing of Netanyahu’s visit also drew attention following recent reports concerning alleged communications between the Emirati leadership and Netanyahu ahead of the October 7 massacre. Netanyahu has strongly denied reports that Sheikh Mohamed warned him before the attack. The UAE has not publicly confirmed such a warning, previously stating that the two countries have maintained open and direct channels of communication since establishing diplomatic relations.
The Emirati statement on Monday made no mention of the controversy and did not disclose any additional subjects discussed during the Netanyahu–bin Zayed meeting beyond bilateral relations and efforts to further strengthen ties.