Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Abu Dhabi on Sunday for a meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to a senior Israeli official. The visit was not officially announced by Netanyahu’s office or the UAE foreign ministry. Reports from Israeli media, including Channel 12 and KAN, stated that Netanyahu traveled on a private plane for the day-long trip.

Context of the Reported Visit

The reported meeting occurs amid ongoing controversy regarding intelligence warnings allegedly provided by the UAE to Israel prior to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Reports from Haaretz and The New York Times claimed that Sheikh Mohammed warned Netanyahu of a major operation roughly ten days before the attack, though the information was reportedly not shared with Israeli security or military officials. Netanyahu has denied these reports and threatened legal action against Haaretz.

Diplomatic and Security Relations

While the UAE has not commented on the specific intelligence reports, it has stated that it maintains open communication lines with Israel following the 2020 Abraham Accords. An unnamed UAE official source previously noted that the country handles security discussions through relevant agencies rather than at the level of national leaders. Earlier this year, the UAE denied a separate report of a meeting between the two leaders, which Israeli officials had claimed occurred in Al-Ain on March 26.