UAE rejects Benjamin Netanyahu’s ‘secret visit’ claims amid ongoing Iran conflict
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "UAE rejects Benjamin Netanyahu’s ‘secret visit’ claims amid ongoing Iran conflict")
Benjamin Netanyahu Photograph: (AFP)
UAE denies claims of a secret visit by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu amid reports of covert Israel-UAE coordination during the Iran conflict
The United Arab Emirates has denied claims that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a “secret visit” to the Gulf nation during the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
Earlier on Wednesday, Netanyahu’s office released a statement claiming the Israeli leader had secretly traveled to the UAE to strengthen diplomatic and military cooperation amid escalating regional tensions.
According to the statement issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, the alleged visit resulted in a “historic breakthrough” in relations between Israel and the UAE.
"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," read the statement from Netanyahu’s office.
UAE Rejects ‘Secret Visit’ Claims
In response, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official statement rejecting reports of any undisclosed visit by Netanyahu or Israeli military officials.
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“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 said.
“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,” the statement added.
Reports of Earlier Meeting
According to a report by Reuters, sources familiar with the matter claimed that Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, widely known as MBZ, held a meeting on March 26.
The report stated that discussions reportedly focused on coordinating military actions amid the ongoing war involving Iran. Reuters published the report shortly after Netanyahu’s office publicized details of the alleged “secret meeting.”
The claims also emerged after US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee revealed that Israel had deployed Iron Dome interception batteries to operate from the UAE during the height of the conflict with Iran.
Rising Regional Tensions
The US-Israeli conflict with Iran reportedly began on February 28 and has since intensified tensions across the Middle East. Following strikes carried out by American and Israeli forces, and the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Tehran launched retaliatory attacks targeting US-linked assets and Gulf nations.
The UAE was among the first countries targeted by Iranian missile and drone strikes and has reportedly faced repeated attacks despite the fragile ceasefire currently in place between Washington and Tehran.
The UAE remains a major strategic ally of the United States in the region and was also the first Arab nation to normalize relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords.
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations, and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.
