Netanyahu claims secret UAE visit during Iran war as Abu Dhabi denies it
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced Wednesday that he made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates in late March to meet with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, describing the meeting as a historic breakthrough in their relations. The visit reportedly took place in Al Ain, near the Oman border, and lasted several hours during the US-Israel military operation against Iran. However, hours later, the UAE's foreign ministry issued an official denial, stating that any claims of undisclosed visits are entirely unfounded and that their relations with Israel are public and conducted within the framework of the Abraham Accords. Netanyahu's former spokesman insisted the visit was real, saying the Prime Minister was received with royal honors. Iran's foreign minister condemned the UAE, calling the alleged coordination unforgivable. The conflicting statements highlight deepening Israeli-Emirati security cooperation during the Iran war, with evidence of Israeli military deployments to the UAE including Iron Dome defense systems.
Key facts
- Netanyahu's office announced the secret visit on May 13, 2026, claiming it occurred on March 26 in Al Ain, UAE
- UAE foreign ministry denied the visit hours later, calling claims entirely unfounded
- The meeting reportedly lasted several hours and was located about 250 kilometers from Iran
- Israel sent Iron Dome air-defense systems and personnel to the UAE during the war
- Mossad chief David Barnea made at least two visits to coordinate military actions
- The countries normalized relations through the 2020 Abraham Accords
How different outlets framed it
Left-leaning coverage: Left-leaning outlets like Al Jazeera and Middle East Eye frame the visit as exposing problematic secret military coordination and highlighting regional destabilization. They emphasize Iran's concerns about a hidden alliance that threatens regional stability, and focus on the UAE's vulnerability to Iranian attacks while maintaining ties with Israel, particularly noting how the war has damaged regional trust.
Right-leaning coverage: Right-leaning outlets like The Times of Israel and Jerusalem Post emphasize Netanyahu's successful diplomatic engagement and Israel's strengthening security partnerships in the region. They frame the visit as demonstrating strong Arab-Israeli alliance-building during conflict and present the UAE's denial as politically motivated to manage domestic Arab public opinion rather than evidence the visit didn't happen.
Limits of this briefing
The fundamental facts remain disputed: Israel insists the visit happened while UAE officially denies it, making verification impossible from available sources. Media coverage reflects this contradiction without definitive resolution.
Sources
- NBC News: Netanyahu's secret visit to UAE during the Iran war leads to a breakthrough, his office says Centre
- NPR: UAE denies Netanyahu secretly visited the country during the Iran war Centre
- Al Jazeera: UAE denies Netanyahu visited in 'secret' during US-Israel war on Iran Left
- The Times of Israel: Netanyahu says he secretly visited UAE during Iran war; UAE denies it Right
- Middle East Eye: Netanyahu's boast of secret visit to UAE sparks awkward denial from Abu Dhabi Left