Overview
- Israeli and Emirati officials confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to the United Arab Emirates for a brief meeting with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on Sunday and that top Israeli security figures accompanied him.
- Multiple international outlets reported that Netanyahu asked the Emirati president to publicly deny a Haaretz story alleging the UAE warned him roughly ten days before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, a request the prime minister’s office denies.
- Haaretz’s allegation, drawn in part from an upcoming book by Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval, says MBZ warned Netanyahu of a major Hamas operation and that the warning did not reach Israeli security agencies; that claim remains contested and unconfirmed by the UAE.
- Israel’s internal security agency, the Shin Bet, filed a complaint with the military censor over Channel 12’s reporting of the trip, arguing the early publication endangered lives and exposed operational details.
- The episode has immediate political fallout ahead of Israel’s October 27 election as opposition leaders press for accountability, while officials frame the visit as part of steady UAE‑Israel ties and cooperation on regional security issues such as Iran.