Saudi Arabia on Tuesday rejected reports that a Saudi representative participated in an expanded meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed during Netanyahu’s visit to Abu Dhabi over the weekend.
The denial followed a social media post by an Israeli journalist claiming that Saudi representatives joined the discussions after Netanyahu’s one-on-one meeting with Sheikh Mohamed. According to the report, the broader talks addressed security cooperation, Iran, the Houthis and regional defense systems.
However, a Saudi source told Arab News on Tuesday that the reports were false and that no Saudi representative attended the meeting.
Netanyahu traveled to Abu Dhabi on Sunday for talks with Sheikh Mohamed. The visit was not publicly reported at the time, but the Emirates News Agency confirmed it Monday, saying the two discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen and develop them.
The Prime Minister’s Office also confirmed the trip, stating: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife visited the United Arab Emirates yesterday at the invitation of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed. The visit focused on strengthening bilateral relations and addressing regional challenges. The National Security Council director, Mossad chief, military secretary, and political adviser also participated in the visit."
Israel and Saudi Arabia do not have formal diplomatic relations, although the two countries had appeared to be moving toward a US-brokered normalization agreement before Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Following the attack, Riyadh froze the US-backed normalization efforts.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he expects the Abraham Accords to expand and has voiced hope that Saudi Arabia will eventually join the agreement. He recently said a new nuclear agreement between Washington and Riyadh is contingent on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords.
Saudi officials have consistently maintained that establishing a Palestinian state would be a prerequisite for normalizing relations with Israel.