UAE Confirms Netanyahu Visit, Statement Omits Regional Wars

By garrisonvance // 2026-10-01

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially acknowledged hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks with Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed, according to a statement from the Emirates News Agency late Monday, Sept. 28. The acknowledgment marks the first such confirmation since the UAE established diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020 [1]. The Emirates News Agency said bin Zayed "discussed with the Israeli prime minister the bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to strengthen and develop them" [2]. The UAE released no official photograph of the meeting that took place on Sunday, Sept. 27, and its statement made no mention of the regional wars in which Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv are involved – including those in occupied Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen and Sudan [1]. The official confirmation followed days of reports in Israeli media that Netanyahu had made an unannounced visit to the Gulf state. Israeli media, including Channel 2 and Kan, as well as the newspapers Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post, reported Sunday that Netanyahu had undertaken a one-day visit to meet with bin Zayed [3]. The meeting also made the front pages of the UAE's state-owned Al-Bayan and Al-Ittihad newspapers, which reprinted the official statement without additional commentary [1].

Official Statements Provide Few Details

The Emirates News Agency statement provided limited specifics about the discussions. According to the official account, bin Zayed "discussed with the Israeli prime minister the bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to strengthen and develop them" [2]. Netanyahu's office also confirmed the visit, stating that he and his wife Sara traveled to the UAE on Sunday at the invitation of bin Zayed. "The visit focused on strengthening relations between the two countries and on regional challenges," the Israeli statement read, according to Middle East Eye [4]. According to the Israeli statement, Netanyahu was accompanied by the head of the National Security Council, the head of the Mossad, the military secretary and the foreign policy adviser [4]. The identities of these officials were not disclosed in the statement. Israeli media reported that representatives from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Libya, Qatar and Morocco were also present at the meeting [1]. A senior Saudi official later denied reports of a meeting taking place between Saudi and Israeli officials [5]. Neither the UAE nor Israeli statements provided details about what specific regional challenges were discussed. The meeting occurred against the backdrop of ongoing military conflicts across the region. Iran's Foreign Ministry warned Tuesday, Sept. 29, that Israel's presence in the region was creating a "dangerous situation" after Netanyahu's visit was confirmed, saying the visit came at a "sensitive time" amid ongoing Israeli attacks on Iran, Lebanon and Palestine [6].

Prior Secret Visit and UAE Response

The latest meeting follows a dispute between the two countries over the disclosure of a prior visit. In May, Netanyahu's office revealed that he had secretly visited the UAE at the height of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. The statement, issued on May 13, said that during Operation "Roar of the Lion," Netanyahu made a secret visit to the UAE and met with bin Zayed [7]. The statement added that the visit "led to a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates" [7]. The Emirati Foreign Ministry responded by denying that any such undeclared visit occurred. A statement by the ministry at the time said that Emirati relations with Israel "are public" and "not based on non-transparent or unofficial arrangements" [1]. The ministry added that "any claims regarding unannounced visits or undisclosed arrangements are entirely unfounded unless officially announced by the relevant authorities in the UAE" [1]. Reports indicated that Israel's Mossad chief and the Shin Bet director joined Netanyahu during that earlier visit to the UAE weeks into the war on Iran, according to Israel's i24 News [8]. The UAE denied the claim of a secret meeting. A senior Emirati scholar, Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, called Netanyahu a "war criminal" who is wholly unwelcome in the United Arab Emirates [9]. The May incident represented a rare public contradiction between the two governments.

References

Middle East Eye. "UAE confirms Netanyahu visit for first time, with no mention of regional wars". September 29, 2026.
Middle East Eye. "UAE President discussed bilateral relations with Israel's Netanyahu, report says". September 28, 2026.
Middle East Eye. "Israeli media says Netanyahu made unannounced visit to UAE". September 27, 2026.
Middle East Eye. "Netanyahu's office confirms visit to UAE, as Israeli media reports attendance of Arab countries in talks". September 29, 2026.
Middle East Eye. "Saudi official denies reports of meeting taking place with Israeli officials". September 29, 2026.
Middle East Eye. "Iran warns Israel's presence is creating a 'dangerous situation', condemns Netanyahu's visit to UAE". September 30, 2026.
Middle East Eye. "Netanyahu made 'secret visit' to the UAE during war with Iran". May 13, 2026.
Middle East Eye. "Mossad, Shin Bet chiefs joined Netanyahu on 'secret' UAE visit during Iran war, report says". May 15, 2026.
Middle East Eye. "Senior Emirati scholar says 'war criminal' Netanyahu never visited UAE". May 14, 2026.
RT. "Netanyahu asked UAE to deny October 7 warning – AP". September 29, 2026.
Middle East Eye. "Saudi Arabia turns to UAE 'white horse' as it gears up to battle Yemen's Houthis". September 29, 2026.
Mike Adams - Brighteon.com. "Brighteon Broadcast News". 2024.
Sputnik Globe. "Iran Warns UAE of Dangerous Outcomes of Netanyahu's Visit to Country - Foreign Ministry". September 30, 2026.

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