Netanyahu makes secret UAE visit for talks with President bin Zayed

The Prime Minister’s Office declined to disclose further details about the meeting.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret trip to Abu Dhabi on Sunday for talks with United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed that focused on the Iranian threat, Channel 12 reported.

Two sources confirmed that Netanyahu flew to Abu Dhabi on a private plane Sunday morning and returned to Israel that evening. Members of his delegation traveled aboard several private aircraft, according to Channel 12.

Much of the discussion between Netanyahu and bin Zayed took place one-on-one.

The Prime Minister’s Office declined to disclose further details about the meeting.

The visit took place about a month before Israel’s election and two days after Netanyahu returned from the UN General Assembly in New York.

The conversation reportedly lasted 45 minutes. No UAE official has formally denied that it occurred, while other officials have confirmed it, according to the report.

Netanyahu also secretly visited the UAE in May during Operation Roaring Lion.

The Prime Minister’s Office later disclosed that trip, saying, “This visit brought about a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.”

Channel 12 reported that the disclosure of the May visit was made against the UAE’s wishes and caused tensions with Abu Dhabi.

Separately, the meeting followed a Haaretz report earlier this month alleging that bin Zayed warned Netanyahu before the Oct. 7 massacre that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning a significant operation against Israel.

According to the report by Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval, bin Zayed warned that the planned action could result in bloodshed, destabilize the region and damage the Abraham Accords. The UAE president reportedly urged Netanyahu to act on the threat, while the prime minister responded relatively calmly to the information.