Netanyahu rejects AP report, says UAE talks focused on regional issues

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said early on Tuesday that his visit to the United Arab Emirates focused on strengthening ties between the two countries and addressing regional challenges.

In a statement, the office said the visit included Netanyahu’s wife, the head of the National Security Council, the head of the Mossad, a military secretary, and a political adviser.

Netanyahu’s office also rejected an earlier report by the Associated Press (AP), describing it as “fake news” and saying the visit focused exclusively on strengthening bilateral ties and discussing regional issues.

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AP had quoted a person familiar with the matter as saying the visit focused on a report published by Israeli newspaper Haaretz earlier this month. The report said UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed had warned Netanyahu of an imminent Hamas attack before it took place on 7 October 2023, triggering the war.

According to the person, who was described as having direct knowledge of the meeting, Netanyahu asked Sheikh Mohamed to deny the report. Netanyahu’s office had previously rejected the Haaretz report.

The UAE Foreign Ministry declined to comment on reports about the meeting. It has previously said that the UAE maintains “open and direct lines of communication with Israel” and that the two countries exchange “all relevant intelligence”.

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