Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Reportedly Makes Secret Visit to UAE Amid Rising Election Tensions

Jerusalem — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the United Arab Emirates on Sunday and met with the country’s president, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, according to an Israeli source familiar with the visit who spoke to CNN. The source indicated that Iran dominated the agenda, an area where the two nations have deepened their cooperation, including during the current Iran war. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office did not confirm the visit, and CNN reached out to the UAE foreign ministry for comment.

This rare trip, if confirmed, occurs exactly one month before Israel’s October 27 election against a backdrop of intense political controversy in Israel. Recent reports by Haaretz and The New York Times alleged that Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed had warned Benjamin Netanyahu of a major Hamas operation days before the October 7, 2023, attack. Meanwhile, The Atlantic reported that Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel flew to Israel on September 26, 2023, to warn that Gaza would "blow up." The Wall Street Journal also reported at least three Egyptian warnings conveyed to Israel regarding Gaza, culminating in a phone call to Benjamin Netanyahu just days prior to the attack.

Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has repeatedly denied receiving any warnings and dismissed the reports as fabricated lies intended to damage him electorally. However, his political rivals have seized upon the allegations to make accountability for the failure to prevent the October 7, 2023, attack a central campaign issue. Gadi Eizenkot, the prime minister’s main challenger in the upcoming elections, recently criticized Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the events preceding the attack.

Following initial reports of a warning from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the UAE’s Foreign Ministry stated that it does not comment on media stories or speculation regarding conversations between government leaders, though it did not deny the call. Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party subsequently issued a statement alleging blatant foreign interference in Israel’s elections by UAE-based Palestinian politician Mohammed Dahlan, though no evidence was provided. Security cooperation between Israel and the UAE has otherwise reached unprecedented levels during the ongoing conflict, though Benjamin Netanyahu has never made a publicly acknowledged official visit to the UAE.