Sources familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal that a meeting between Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed took place on 26 March, with senior Israeli security officials accompanying the Israeli prime minister during the visit.
Flight tracking data also showed that two private aircraft travelled from Tel Aviv to the Emirati city of Al Ain before returning roughly six hours later on the same day.
Netanyahu’s former spokesperson, Ze’ev Agmon, confirmed that he participated in the trip, describing the reception in Abu Dhabi as “fit for kings”.
According to the newspaper, Netanyahu’s public disclosure of the previously undisclosed visit, followed by Abu Dhabi’s swift denial, exposed the political sensitivity that continues to surround relations between the two sides.
The report stated that such public contradictions are rare in high-level diplomacy and reflect the complex nature of the relationship. While Israel is viewed as an important security partner by the UAE, the relationship remains governed by delicate political calculations.
The newspaper noted that much of the sensitivity centres around Netanyahu himself, who is increasingly viewed by several governments in the region as a source of instability following the wars in Gaza, southern Lebanon and Syria, as well as the targeting of Hamas leaders inside Qatar.
Experts quoted in the report said ties between Israel and the UAE are historically the strongest Israel has had with any Arab state, yet they are still constrained by the wider political complications surrounding the relationship.
The experts added that Abu Dhabi likely preferred to keep the meeting confidential and continue coordination away from public attention. Israel’s decision to reveal the visit reportedly placed the UAE in an embarrassing position, particularly as Abu Dhabi does not want the relationship politicised or used within Israel’s domestic political arena.
They also pointed out that the timing of the announcement was particularly sensitive, as the UAE continues to face Iranian drone attacks despite a fragile ceasefire that came into effect in April.
