UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during Netanyahu’s visit to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, according to the Emirati state news agency WAM. The visit marked the first official confirmation from Abu Dhabi.
Netanyahu travelled to the UAE at the invitation of Sheikh Mohamed. According to the Israeli prime minister’s office, the discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations and addressing regional challenges.
Three senior Israeli officials said the meeting lasted around six hours and that Iran was a major focus of the talks.
The visit comes amid continued diplomatic and security engagement between the UAE and Israel following the establishment of formal relations under the 2020 Abraham Accords. The two countries have maintained communication on regional developments and security issues.
The latest meeting also follows earlier reports of a previous meeting between Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohamed that was disputed by the UAE at the time.
Netanyahu’s visit was initially not publicly confirmed by Abu Dhabi. Israeli authorities also criticised the early disclosure of the trip, saying it raised security concerns for the prime minister, his delegation and senior security officials.
