New details are emerging regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's secret visit to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, first revealed by Channel 12, with the Associated Press reporting that the visit was intended to secure a denial of allegations that UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed had warned Netanyahu of an impending Hamas attack ahead of October 7, 2023.
According to the Associated Press, two individuals briefed on the visit confirmed that Netanyahu held an approximately hour-long meeting with the Emirati President in Abu Dhabi.
One source, who claimed firsthand knowledge of the discussions, said Netanyahu specifically requested that bin Zayed deny a report published earlier this month by Haaretz, according to which the UAE President had contacted Netanyahu in late September 2023 to warn him that Hamas was preparing a major attack against Israel.
The source and a regional official familiar with the meeting spoke anonymously due to the confidential nature of the visit.
As previously reported, Channel 12 revealed Sunday that Netanyahu had secretly traveled to Abu Dhabi aboard a private jet and spent the day in the UAE. The Prime Minister's Office did not disclose details of the visit or the subjects discussed.
The visit follows renewed controversy surrounding the alleged warning, which was also examined in a report published Friday by The New York Times.
According to the Times, Sheikh Mohammed contacted Netanyahu in late September 2023 after receiving intelligence indicating that Hamas was planning an attack. However, the information reportedly did not establish whether the operation would involve rocket fire or a ground assault.
The newspaper reported that five former senior Israeli officials were unaware of the alleged warning having reached Israel's security establishment.
Minutes of an October 1, 2023 security meeting, reviewed by the Times, reportedly contained no reference to the warning. During that meeting, Netanyahu emphasized the importance of maintaining calm in Gaza.
The Times further reported that the UAE President subsequently referred to his alleged conversation with Netanyahu during a discussion with then-CIA Director William Burns, telling him that he had warned the Prime Minister of a possible escalation by Hamas in Gaza or Judea and Samaria.
Netanyahu's office has strongly rejected the original Haaretz report, stating that no conversation took place between the Prime Minister and the Emirati President during the relevant period and that Netanyahu had received no such warning.
An Emirati official also previously denied the allegations, telling The National that no intelligence or warning had been conveyed directly between the two leaders. The official emphasized that security information is exchanged through established professional channels rather than in conversations between heads of state.
Responding to the latest reports concerning Sunday's meeting, the UAE Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the visit itself, but reiterated that it maintains "open and direct lines of communication" with Israel and shares "all relevant intelligence."
There was no immediate response from the Prime Minister's Office regarding the new details of the visit.