What happened
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates, where he met with Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. The meeting, which lasted six hours, focused on strengthening relations between the two countries and addressing regional challenges, particularly those posed by Iran.
Netanyahu was accompanied by his wife and several high-ranking officials, including the heads of the Israeli National Security Council and Mossad intelligence service. According to reports, Netanyahu brought significant pressure to bear on President al-Nahyan to arrange the meeting, hinting at potential future security cooperation.
The visit was initially scheduled to take place earlier, but was postponed after President al-Nahyan backed out at the last minute. Sources suggest that a key reason for the meeting was to address media reports that President al-Nahyan had given Netanyahu advance warning of a 2023 terror attack on Israeli civilians by Hamas.
Netanyahu also met with other regional leaders in Abu Dhabi, including representatives from Libya, Morocco, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The leaders reportedly discussed establishing a regional framework for protection against shared threats, including Iranian proxies like the Houthi insurgents of Yemen.
The meeting has been seen as significant, with some reports suggesting that Netanyahu urged the leaders to maintain economic pressure on Tehran and prepare for potential Iranian attacks. In response, Iran has threatened to attack countries that work with Israel.
