Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that he discreetly visited the United Arab Emirates during the recent hostilities between Israel and Iran, reportedly having a personal discussion with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. However, the UAE quickly dismissed this assertion, calling the reports of any hidden discussions or military deals unfounded.
Netanyahu’s office revealed on X that he was in the Emirati city of Al Ain on March 26, coinciding with the height of the regional unrest. The announcement characterized this meeting as a "historic breakthrough" relevant to UAE-Israel ties amid growing tensions in West Asia.
The Israeli statement detailed that the conversation between Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, often referred to as MBZ, stretched several hours and centered on collaboration regarding regional security and strategic alignment during the ongoing conflict with Iran.
In swift response, the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released an official rebuttal, asserting that Netanyahu had not visited the UAE and that no Israeli military delegation had been welcomed in the nation.
The UAE further emphasized that its relationship with Israel operates transparently within the framework of the Abraham Accords, which forged normal relations between the two nations in 2020.
The ministry underscored that any claims of clandestine trips or undisclosed agreements are "absolutely baseless" unless officially declared by UAE officials.
These conflicting reports surfaced amid suggestions of enhanced security collaboration between Israel and the UAE during the confrontation with Iran.
Reuters reported, citing an informed source, that Mossad chief Dedi Barnea supposedly traveled to the UAE multiple times during the conflict to negotiate military coordination between the nations.
In parallel, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee remarked on Israel's deployment of an Iron Dome air defense system along with military personnel to the UAE at the request of Emirati leaders during the war, marking the inaugural overseas deployment of Israel's Iron Dome.
This deployment occurred following Iran's missile and drone assaults targeting several Gulf nations, including the UAE, in retaliation for combined US-Israeli military actions against Iran.
Although the UAE and Israel have significantly fortified their economic and security bonds post-Abraham Accords, Abu Dhabi has made efforts to maintain a degree of distance from certain Israeli military operations, particularly amid the Gaza conflict and the broader Iran-Israel hostilities.
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