Bibi Lied? UAE Denies Netanyahu Visit

The United Arab Emirates denied reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the country or that Abu Dhabi received an Israeli military delegation, saying its relationship with Israel is conducted publicly under the Abraham Accords.

In a statement, the UAE Foreign Ministry said reports of a Netanyahu visit or the arrival of any Israeli military delegation were unfounded. The ministry emphasized that relations with Israel are “public” and operate within the framework of the officially declared Abraham Accords, rather than through undisclosed or unofficial arrangements.

The denial came after Netanyahu’s office claimed that the Israeli leader had secretly visited the UAE and met President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed. According to Israeli statements cited in regional reports, the alleged meeting was described as producing a significant breakthrough in relations between the two countries.

Abu Dhabi rejected that account, saying any claims of unannounced visits or undisclosed arrangements are baseless unless confirmed by the relevant UAE authorities. The statement appeared aimed at drawing a clear line between the UAE’s official normalization policy with Israel and reports suggesting secret coordination outside public diplomatic channels.

The UAE and Israel normalized relations in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, a U.S. brokered framework that opened the door to diplomatic, commercial and security ties between Israel and several Arab states. Since then, the relationship has continued despite regional tensions, including the war in Gaza and wider instability involving Iran.

The Emirati statement signals that while Abu Dhabi continues to maintain formal ties with Israel, it is also seeking to avoid any perception that the relationship is being conducted through secret military or political understandings. The UAE’s message was clear: cooperation with Israel, when it exists, will be presented as official, transparent and rooted in the Abraham Accords.