Did Netanyahu really secretly visit UAE? Israel says yes, UAE says no – Mystery grows

While Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office has described the alleged visit as a milestone that contributed to a “historic breakthrough”, the UAE has categorically denied that such a visit or any unofficial arrangement took place.

Tel Aviv: A political controversy has emerged after Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and met President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The claim was soon denied by Abu Dhabi.

Sharing the statement on X, Netanyahu’s office said he travelled to the UAE in the middle of ‘Operation Roaring Lion’, where he met President Mohamed bin Zayed. According to the statement, the visit had a direct diplomatic impact. “This visit has led to a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the UAE”, the PMO said in its post.

The claim comes at a time when tensions in the region are high because of Israel’s military actions in Iran.
Reports of increased wartime coordination

Along with the Israeli statement, media reports have added more details about behind-the-scenes contacts between Israel and the UAE during the conflict. Citing senior US officials, The Times of Israel reported that Tel Aviv had sent an Iron Dome air defence battery along with military personnel to operate it in the UAE during the war with Iran.

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The report also stated that Mossad chief David Barnea travelled to the UAE at least twice during the military confrontation. These visits were aimed at coordination related to the ongoing situation with Iran. According to Arab officials and a source familiar with the matter cited by The Wall Street Journal, the talks were part of broader security communication between the two countries during the period of escalation.

The Times of Israel further reported that both sides also coordinated on a planned strike against a major Iranian petrochemical facility, although no official confirmation has been issued by either government regarding operational details of such coordination.

UAE rejects claim of unannounced visit

Soon after the Israeli PMO released its statement, the UAE rejected the claim that Netanyahu had visited the country or that any unannounced Israeli delegation had been received.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a detailed response on X, making its position clear. “The UAE reaffirms that its relations with Israel 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. Accordingly, any claims regarding unannounced visits or undisclosed arrangements are entirely unfounded unless officially announced by the relevant authorities in the UAE,” it said.

The statement directly challenged the Israeli claim and emphasised that all bilateral engagement between the two countries follows formal diplomatic channels under the Abraham Accords.

Diplomatic ties under the spotlight

The conflicting statements have added uncertainty around how Israel-UAE relations operate in practice after they were normalised in 2020 under the Abraham Accords. Since then, both countries have continued formal diplomatic ties, but there have also been periodic reports pointing to security coordination that happens outside the public eye, especially during regional conflicts.

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At the centre of the latest exchange is a basic disagreement over whether Netanyahu physically visited the UAE during a sensitive military period. While Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office has described the alleged visit as a milestone that contributed to a “historic breakthrough”, the UAE has categorically denied that such a visit or any unofficial arrangement took place.