Benjamin Netanyahu was reportedly greeted in the UAE ‘with the honour of kings’ [Getty]
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Wednesday that the Israeli leader quietly visited the United Arab Emirates during the US-Israeli war on Iran.
However, the UAE later denied that any meeting had taken place, let alone a secret one.
Here’s what we know so far about Netanyahu’s alleged hush visit to the Gulf state.
What is Israel saying happened?
According to the Israeli statement, Netanyahu met with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a gathering that “resulted in a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates”.
The breakthrough may refer to Netanyahu’s alleged presence on Emirati soil, as the Israeli leader has not officially visited the Gulf state since Israel and the UAE normalised relations in 2020.
Former Netanyahu spokesperson Ziv Agmon said he accompanied the prime minister on the trip.
Agmon said Netanyahu was first received “with the honour of kings” in Abu Dhabi and driven by bin Zayed in his “personal car from the plane to the palace”.
The announcement from Netanyahu’s office came a day after US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee revealed that Israel had sent Iron Dome air-defence weapons and personnel to operate them in the UAE.
The UAE was a key target of Iran during the war with Israel and the US, and has also been struck by Iranian drones during the ceasefire.
Where did the alleged meeting take place?
A source familiar with the meeting cited by Reuters said the talks between the two leaders took place in Al Ain, an oasis city near the UAE’s border with Oman. The talks reportedly lasted several hours.
The source added that David Barnea made at least two visits to the UAE during the war with Iran to coordinate military actions. The report followed an earlier one by The Wall Street Journal, which said Barnea visited the UAE in March and April.
A separate report from Israel’s Kan public broadcaster on Wednesday said that David Zini, head of Israel’s Shin Bet domestic security agency, also visited the UAE in recent weeks.
While lower-level Israeli officials have visited the UAE since the 2020 normalisation deal, these are the first reports of the Israeli prime minister and intelligence chiefs travelling to the country.
What is the UAE saying?
The UAE denied that any meeting took place through its official WAM news agency, saying ties between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv “are public and conducted within the framework of the well-known and officially declared Abraham Accords, and are not based on non-transparent or unofficial arrangements”.
The state media report also denied that any Israeli military delegation visited the country.
Last week, WAM reported that Netanyahu was among the leaders who called the Emirati president to condemn Iranian attacks and express solidarity with the Gulf federation.
It was a rare public acknowledgement of direct talks between the countries, despite their growing ties.
How has Iran reacted?
Iran, a staunch critic of the US-brokered Abraham Accords that saw the UAE and Israel formalise ties, has long accused Tel Aviv of maintaining a military and intelligence presence in the Gulf state.
Iran denounced the alleged visit, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying Israel had confirmed what Tehran already knew.
The top diplomat warned that “collusion” with Israel against Iran was “unforgivable”, and described dealings with Tel Aviv as a “foolish gamble”.
