Isreali Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday issued a statement through his office handle on X, claiming he made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to improve relations and military connections.
The PMO posted on X, “In the midst of Operation Roaring Lion, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the United Arab Emirates, where he met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed. This visit has led to a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the UAE.”
However, the UAE has denied any claims of a secret visit, asserting that its relations with Israel are public and conducted within the framework of Abraham Accords.
The Emirati Foreign Ministry released an official statement, “The United Arab Emirates denies reports circulating regarding an alleged visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the UAE, or receiving any Israeli military delegation in the country.”
“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 further added.
Reuters published a report after Netanyahu’s claim, stating that people familiar with the matter said he and the UAE premier met on March 26. According to the news agency, the main objective of the meeting was to co-ordinate military actions amid the ongoing war.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee had revealed earlier that Tel Aviv sent batteries for its Iron Dome interception system to operate from the UAE during the war’s peak.
Diplomatic relations between the UAE and Israel began after both countries signed thee Abraham Accords in 2020. The deal was mediated by U.S President Donald Trump during his first term in the office.
The Abraham Accords are a series of joint agreements between Arab nations and Israel, which recognises Israel’s statehood and normalises economic and security relations in West Asia. The current signatories of the Accord are Bahrain, UAE, Morocco, Sudan, and Israel.
Israel’s increased strikes on Gaza has put a major strain on its relations with the UAE, especially due to Tel Aviv’s refusal to acknowledge a two-state solution to recognise Palestine as a nation.
