UAE Rejects Netanyahu's Claim of Secret Visit During US-Israel Conflict

The United Arab Emirates has firmly denied claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office that he made a "secret visit" to the country during the recent US-Israel war on Iran. In a statement reported by the state news agency WAM, the UAE emphasized that its relations with Israel are public and established under the well-known Abraham Accords, asserting that any undisclosed visits or arrangements are baseless unless officially confirmed by UAE authorities. Netanyahu’s office had announced the meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as a “historic breakthrough,” though no exact date was provided.

This alleged visit occurs amid growing security cooperation between Israel and the UAE, particularly in response to threats from Iran. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee recently confirmed that Israel deployed Iron Dome systems and personnel to the UAE to help defend against potential Iranian attacks. He praised the UAE as a model for expanding ties between Israel and Gulf Arab states. The UAE and other regional countries were targeted by Iranian missile and drone strikes following US-Israeli bombing campaigns in late February, leading to a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the US since April 8.

Relations between Israel and the UAE have developed slowly since the 2020 Abraham Accords, a US-brokered agreement that normalized diplomatic ties with Israel and several Arab states. Palestinian leaders criticized the deal as a betrayal. The accords required Israel to halt annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank, but Israel has since intensified military actions in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon. Meanwhile, Netanyahu continues to evade an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Gaza since November 2024.