Netanyahu says he 'secretly visited' UAE during war with Iran; UAE denies
Netanyahu’s office said the meeting deepened security coordination as Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at the UAE, officials said.
- On Thursday, May 14, 2026, the United Arab Emirates issued a stern denial regarding claims made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office that he had conducted a secretive visit to the Gulf state during the height of the Iran war.
- Late Wednesday, Netanyahu’s office announced that the Prime Minister had "secretly visited" the UAE to meet with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Israeli sources stated the meeting took place on March 26, 2026, in the city of Al Ain and resulted in a "historic breakthrough" in bilateral relations.
- The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs swiftly rejected the claim as "entirely unfounded" and "baseless." In a formal statement, the ministry emphasized that relations with Israel are conducted purely within the public framework of the Abraham Accords and are not based on "non-transparent or unofficial arrangements."
- The dispute comes amid reports that Mossad Director David Barnea made at least two covert trips to the UAE during the conflict to coordinate military and intelligence actions against Iranian threats.
- The announcement followed a disclosure by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who confirmed that Israel had deployed Iron Dome air defense batteries and military specialists to the UAE to protect the country from Iranian missile and drone attacks.
229 Articles
229 Articles
However, the Israeli Prime Minister's office recalled that the negotiation brought a breakthrough in bilateral relations.
The contradictory communication between the two states shows that relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates are getting closer – and remain delicate at the same time.
UAE je demantovala tvrdnje about "navodnoj poseti" and istakla da odnos dve države nije zasnovan on "nezvaničnim dogovorima".
What we know about Netanyahu’s ’secret trip’ to the UAE
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Wednesday that the Israeli leader quietly visited the United Arab Emirates during the US-Israeli war on Iran. However, the UAE later denied that any meeting had taken place, let alone a secret one. Here's what we know so far about Netanyahu's alleged clandestine visit to the Gulf state. What is Israel saying happened? According to the statement from his office, Netanyahu met with UAE Pre…
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims he made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates during the height of the war with Iran, where he met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. The UAE's Foreign Ministry has denied the claims, calling them baseless.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
