Sources familiar with the meeting said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met on March 26 in Al Ain, an oasis city in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi near the border with Oman.
Earlier this month, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Sheikh Mohamed allegedly warned Netanyahu about a week and a half before Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that the group was planning a major operation against Israel. The report said the warning was not passed to Israeli intelligence or military agencies. Netanyahu denied the account and threatened legal action against the newspaper.
Netanyahu, who faces a difficult re-election campaign, has also been criticised by opposition leaders who blame him for security failures before the attack. The UAE declined to comment on Haaretz’s report but said the two countries have maintained open, direct communication since establishing diplomatic relations in 2020.
An Emirati source previously told Reuters that security issues are handled through relevant agencies and channels, not at the highest leadership level. Earlier this year, the UAE also denied reports of a secret Netanyahu visit in May and a meeting with Sheikh Mohamed. Sources familiar with a separate meeting later said the leaders met in Al Ain on March 26.
Amid security threats linked to the conflict involving Iran, the UAE has strengthened ties with the United States and Israel. The two countries established diplomatic relations under the 2020 Abraham Accords. Those ties have broadened the UAE’s regional influence and provided an important diplomatic channel to Washington.