UAE president discussed bilateral relations with Israel's Netanyahu, state news agency says

Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, according to the Emirati state news agency WAM. The visit aimed to strengthen bilateral ties and address regional challenges, with the six-hour meeting reportedly focusing on Iran. The announcement by WAM marked the first official confirmation of Netanyahu's trip to the Gulf nation, which had previously denied such a meeting.

Netanyahu's office stated that the visit was arranged at the invitation of the UAE president, with the Israeli prime minister's plane still outside Israeli airspace when the trip was confirmed. The security services of both nations, including Israel's Shin Bet and the UAE's Mossad, condemned the public disclosure of the visit, fearing it endangered the lives of the delegation, including top security officials.

The UAE-Israel relationship, boosted by the 2020 Abraham Accords, provides a strategic advantage for the UAE in regional affairs and serves as a unique conduit to the United States.