Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret trip to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday and met President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with the talks focused on a report that the UAE leader had warned Netanyahu about a looming Hamas attack before October 7, 2023.
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The hour-long meeting was confirmed by two people briefed on Netanyahu's visit, the Associated Press reported. Netanyahu asked Sheikh Mohamed to deny the report, according to a person with first-hand knowledge of the talks.
The meeting followed a report published earlier this month by Israeli newspaper Haaretz claiming that Sheikh Mohamed had warned Netanyahu about an impending Hamas attack shortly before the Palestinian militant group's October 7 assault on southern Israel.
Netanyahu's office has denied the report. The Israeli prime minister has also threatened legal action against Haaretz over the claims.
The October 7 attack triggered the war in Gaza and has remained a major political issue for Netanyahu, with opposition leaders accusing his government of failing to prevent the security breach.
The UAE's Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the reported meeting. It said the two countries maintain “open and direct lines of communication” and that the UAE shares “all relevant intelligence”.
The latest meeting comes months after another disputed encounter between Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohamed.
In May, the UAE denied that its president had met Netanyahu after the Israeli prime minister's office said he had secretly visited the Gulf state. A source familiar with that meeting told Reuters that the two leaders had met in Al-Ain, an oasis city in Abu Dhabi near the border with Oman, on March 26.
