New details have emerged about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s secret visit to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, with the Hebrew-language newspaper Israel Hayom reporting that senior Israeli security officials accompanied him on the six-hour trip to Abu Dhabi.
According to the newspaper, Mossad chief Roman Gofman and National Security Council head Shmuel Ben Ezra travelled with Netanyahu, alongside a senior official from the Shin Bet’s VIP protection unit and several senior members of the Prime Minister’s Office.
Hours-Long Meeting With Mohammed bin Zayed
During the visit, Netanyahu met UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed for several hours after arriving in Abu Dhabi aboard a private aircraft previously associated with trips by senior Mossad officials as well as Netanyahu’s earlier visits to the UAE.
Israel’s Channel 12 first disclosed the meeting on Sunday.
According to Israel Hayom, the meeting had been arranged over the preceding weeks and was intended to remain completely secret until the Israeli delegation returned to Tel Aviv. The two sides were then expected to issue a coordinated statement or announcement regarding the visit.
The trip, however, was revealed by Israeli media before the delegation returned. As of Monday morning, the UAE had issued no statement acknowledging the meeting, despite what Israel Hayom described as a prior understanding that the two sides would release a coordinated announcement.
Visit Comes Amid Dispute Over Alleged October 7 Warning
The secret visit came amid an ongoing controversy within Israel over allegations that Netanyahu received a warning from the UAE before the 7 October 2023 attack.
Haaretz had previously reported that Mohammed bin Zayed called Netanyahu around two weeks before the attack and warned him that Hamas was considering carrying out a large-scale assault.
Netanyahu denies receiving such a warning. Israel Hayom also noted that the controversy formed part of the backdrop to the Abu Dhabi visit.
Neither the UAE nor the Israeli government had issued an official statement confirming Netanyahu’s visit to Abu Dhabi at the time covered by the report.
