Israel's Netanyahu holds secret meeting with UAE president
After confirming a rare meeting, Netanyahu's office has denied suggestions that the Israeli prime minister requested that Abu Dhabi deny reports that it had warned Israel about an impending Hamas attack in 2023.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly met with the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi. The two discussed strengthening bilateral relations and addressing regional challenges. The visit aimed to dispel a report alleging that the UAE president had warned Netanyahu about a potential Hamas threat before the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Netanyahu's office denied requesting the UAE president deny the warning, just as they had denied the original report. Israel's domestic security service accused Channel 12 of violating censorship rules by reporting the secret meeting before Netanyahu returned to Israel. This development comes amid criticism of Netanyahu as the chief proponent of the Gaza war, which has resulted in over 70,000 Palestinian casualties.
The UAE is one of a few Arab nations with diplomatic ties to Israel, maintaining them since the 2020 Abraham Accords. Despite condemning the October 7 Hamas attack and Israeli violations in Gaza, the UAE has also faced tension due to these actions.
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