Benjamin Netanyahu met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi on Sunday during a visit that had not been announced in advance. People briefed on the trip said the meeting lasted about an hour.
The reported request
A person said to have firsthand knowledge of the meeting said Netanyahu asked Sheikh Mohamed to deny earlier reports that he had warned Israel about a possible Hamas attack before October 7, 2023. Netanyahu’s office rejected the account as “fake news.”
The earlier warning claim had been denied by Netanyahu’s office. The request attributed to the Israeli prime minister has not been confirmed by the two governments.
What officials confirmed
Netanyahu’s office confirmed that he and his wife, Sara, travelled to the UAE at Sheikh Mohamed’s invitation. It said the visit focused on relations between the two countries and regional issues. UAE state media also confirmed the meeting and described its agenda as bilateral ties.
The UAE Foreign Ministry did not comment directly on the reported request. It said the two countries maintain open communication and share relevant intelligence.
