Reports on Netanyahu's unexpected visit to the United Arab Emirates

Reports on Netanyahu's unexpected visit to the United Arab Emirates

Reuters news agency quoted a senior Israeli official saying that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Abu Dhabi on Sunday, September 27, and met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates.

At the same time, Israeli media outlets also reported on Netanyahu's unannounced visit to Abu Dhabi. Channel 12, Kan network, as well as the Jerusalem Post and Haaretz newspapers wrote that Netanyahu met and spoke with the UAE President for several hours during this trip. No details about this meeting have been published.

The Jerusalem Post quoted a knowledgeable source saying that Netanyahu flew from Ben-Gurion Airport to Abu Dhabi on a private plane at 12:00 and returned to Israel around 19:00.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs have not yet commented on these reports. This trip comes shortly after the publication of a report by Haaretz newspaper, which stated that the UAE leader warned Netanyahu about a week and a half before the October 2023 ground attack that Hamas was planning a major operation against Israel. Haaretz reported that the warning was not passed on to Israel's intelligence agencies or the military.

The publication of this report led to a widespread reaction in Israel, and opposition leaders severely criticized Netanyahu. Rejecting this report, Netanyahu threatened Haaretz newspaper with legal action. The UAE declined to comment on the Haaretz report, but said the country and Israel have had "open and direct communication channels" with each other since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2020.