Netanyahu Makes Secret UAE Visit for Talks on Iran

Officials familiar with the visit said the trip lasted roughly six hours and centered primarily on the Iranian threat.

By United with Israel Staff

The United Arab Emirates officially confirmed Monday evening that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during an unannounced visit to Abu Dhabi a day earlier.

In its first public acknowledgment of the previously secret trip, the UAE said bin Zayed received Netanyahu during his Sunday visit and that the two leaders discussed bilateral relations between Israel and the Emirates and ways to strengthen and develop them.

The brief statement did not mention Iran, despite Israeli reports indicating that the Iranian threat was a central focus of the talks.

Netanyahu departed Ben-Gurion Airport shortly after noon Sunday and landed in Abu Dhabi at approximately 3:10 p.m. The visit was first revealed by Israel’s Channel 12 while Netanyahu was returning to Israel, with a senior Israeli official later confirming the meeting to Reuters.

Israeli reports said the visit lasted roughly six hours and followed several conversations between Netanyahu and bin Zayed in recent weeks. Much of the leaders’ discussion was reportedly held behind closed doors.

New details reported Monday by Israel Hayom indicated that Netanyahu traveled with several of Israel’s most senior national security officials, including Mossad Director Roman Gofman and National Security Council chief Shmuel Ben Ezra.

A senior official from the Shin Bet unit responsible for protecting public figures and senior members of Netanyahu’s staff also accompanied the prime minister.

The participation of the Mossad and National Security Council chiefs pointed to a significant security component to the visit. Israeli media reported that Iran figured prominently in the discussions, though the UAE’s official statement did not provide details about any security issues discussed.

The meeting had reportedly been arranged weeks in advance and was intended to remain secret until Netanyahu and his delegation returned to Israel, after which the two governments were expected to issue coordinated statements.

Instead, news of the trip emerged in the Israeli media before Netanyahu returned home, disrupting plans for a coordinated announcement. The UAE waited until Monday evening to publicly confirm the meeting.

The visit comes amid heightened regional tensions involving Iran and continued diplomatic efforts by Gulf states to manage their relations with Tehran while addressing security concerns stemming from Iran and its regional allies.

Israel and the UAE established diplomatic relations in 2020 under the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords and have since expanded economic, diplomatic and security cooperation.

The meeting also followed controversy over an Israeli media report alleging that bin Zayed had warned Netanyahu shortly before Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack that the terrorist organization was preparing a major operation.

Netanyahu strongly denied receiving such a warning. An Emirati official also subsequently rejected the claim, telling the UAE-based National that security matters of that nature are handled through the relevant professional agencies rather than directly between national leaders.

Monday’s official Emirati statement did not address that controversy, instead emphasizing the bilateral relationship and efforts to further strengthen ties between the two countries.