The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), an Arab nation, while Israel is at war with Iran.
On the 14th local time, the Prime Minister’s Office revealed in a statement that Netanyahu conducted a secret meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the “Roar of the Lion” operation.
They further assessed that the visit marked a historic breakthrough in the relations between Israel and the UAE.
According to a source, Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed met on March 26 in Al Ain, an oasis city near the Oman border, and the meeting lasted several hours.
It has also been reported that David Barnea, the head of Mossad, visited the UAE at least twice during the war with Iran to coordinate military operations.
The secret visit by Netanyahu to the UAE is seen as a sign of strengthened security alliance between the two nations against their common adversary, Iran.
In 2020, the UAE, along with Bahrain, recognized Israel as a state and established diplomatic relations, spurred by the so-called Abraham Accords.
Following the outbreak of war, Israel dispatched Iron Dome batteries, a low-altitude air defense system, and personnel to the UAE.
Even before diplomatic relations were established, Netanyahu secretly visited the UAE in 2018 and met with President Mohammed.
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