Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly made an unannounced one-day visit to the United Arab Emirates and met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. The visit was reported by several Israeli media outlets, while a senior Israeli official also confirmed the meeting to Reuters. Netanyahu’s office and the UAE Foreign Ministry had not immediately issued public comments.
According to the reports, Netanyahu travelled to Abu Dhabi on a private aircraft and returned to Israel on the same day. Israeli television channels Channel 12 and KAN, along with newspapers including Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post, reported the visit.
The meeting took place amid continuing tensions in West Asia following the Israel-US war against Iran that began in February. The conflict has increased security concerns across the Gulf and has also placed greater attention on relations between Israel and Arab countries.
The reported meeting has also drawn attention because of recent reports concerning an alleged warning from Sheikh Mohamed before the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. According to reports in Haaretz and The New York Times, the Emirati president warned Netanyahu in September 2023 that Hamas was considering a major operation.
The reports said the warning was not passed on to senior Israeli security officials. The New York Times report, citing people familiar with the matter and former Israeli officials, said Netanyahu later held a meeting with security chiefs but did not mention the reported warning.
Netanyahu has denied receiving such a warning from the UAE president. His office has described the allegation as false. The UAE has also not publicly confirmed the reported conversation, saying it does not comment on speculation about discussions between government leaders.
The latest meeting therefore comes at a time when the relationship between Israel and the UAE is receiving renewed attention. The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in 2020 under the US-brokered Abraham Accords.
Since then, Israel and the UAE have developed ties in areas including trade, investment, tourism and security. Their relationship has continued despite major regional conflicts and differences over the Palestinian issue.
The UAE’s position on reports of unannounced Israeli visits has previously been cautious. In May 2026, the Emirati government denied reports of an earlier alleged Netanyahu visit and said that its relations with Israel were conducted through officially declared channels.
The latest reported meeting could therefore be significant for the two countries as they deal with wider regional security concerns. However, details about what Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohamed discussed during the reported one-day meeting have not been publicly disclosed.