UAE Publicly Contradicts Netanyahu After Israel Claims Secret Wartime Meeting

The United Arab Emirates publicly denied reports that Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the country during the Iran war, directly contradicting a statement released hours earlier by the Israeli prime minister's office.

In an official statement Wednesday, the UAE Foreign Ministry said reports claiming Netanyahu visited the country or that the UAE hosted an Israeli military delegation were false.

"The United Arab Emirates denies reports circulating regarding an alleged visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the UAE, or receiving any Israeli military delegation in the country," the ministry said.

The Emirati government also emphasized that its ties with Israel are "public" and conducted under the framework of the Abraham Accords, not through "non-transparent or unofficial arrangements."

The denial came after Netanyahu's office announced that he had made a secret wartime trip to the UAE and met with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the conflict with Iran. Netanyahu's office described the meeting as a "historic breakthrough" in relations between the two countries.

According to the BBC, a source familiar with the alleged meeting said it supposedly took place March 26 in Al Ain, near the Oman border, and lasted several hours. Reuters also reported that Mossad chief David Barnea allegedly traveled to the UAE multiple times during the war to coordinate military activity.

The conflicting statements exposed the sensitivity of the UAE's relationship with Israel following the recent war with Iran. While the UAE normalized ties with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, the Gulf nation has faced increasing domestic and regional pressure over those ties, especially after Iranian strikes targeted Emirati infrastructure during the conflict.

The issue became even more explosive after U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee revealed Tuesday that Israel had deployed Iron Dome systems and personnel to help defend the UAE during the war.

Iran reacted angrily to reports of growing UAE-Israel coordination. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that countries cooperating with Israel against Tehran were making "a foolish gamble."

The unusual public contradiction between Abu Dhabi and Netanyahu's office immediately triggered speculation across the Middle East about whether the visit happened and, if it did, why the UAE would choose to deny it publicly. Analysts noted that while the UAE and Israel maintain increasingly close security and intelligence ties, Gulf governments remain cautious about public perception as the Gaza war and broader regional tensions continue reshaping Arab politics.