Netanyahu says he 'secretly visited' UAE during war with Iran; Abu Dhabi denies
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates during the war with Iran. The UAE rejected the claim outright, saying 'relations between the two countries are not based on unofficial arrangements'.
Netanyahu told Israel's Channel 12 in an interview that he 'made a one-day secret visit to Abu Dhabi when the war with Iran was at its peak'. According to the prime minister, the talks focused on regional air defence coordination and intelligence sharing on Iranian energy infrastructure.
The UAE Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that 'the alleged visit did not take place', reiterating that 'diplomatic relations between the two countries operate through the official channels of the Abraham Accords framework'. Abu Dhabi stressed it has been careful to keep dialogue channels open with Tehran in recent months.
Netanyahu's statement drew criticism from Israel's opposition. Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid said 'making public a secret contact with an allied country harms diplomacy'. The White House spokesperson issued a short note saying 'bilateral relations are being managed by Washington'.
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