Israeli media says Netanyahu made unannounced visit to UAE

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly undertook an unannounced visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently, according to Israeli media reports. The visit, which lasted a single day, saw Netanyahu meet with the UAE's leader, President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The news broke through reports from TV channels 12 and KAN, as well as newspapers Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post.

The timing of Netanyahu's visit to the UAE is significant, as the Middle East continues to be a hotbed of tension following the Israel-US war against Iran that began in February. Additionally, the visit comes weeks after a controversial Israeli media report claimed that the Emirati president had warned Netanyahu ahead of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. However, Netanyahu has denied these allegations, which he asserts never reached the security services.

Netanyahu's unannounced trip to the UAE is further context to the ongoing diplomatic relations between Israel and the UAE, which were formalized in 2020 as part of the US-negotiated Abraham Accords.