Amid the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates. In a bid to improve relations between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv, a statement from Netanyahu’s office confirmed the March visit.
As per the statement, Netanyahu’s visit to the UAE, which also marks the first known visit of the Likud leader to the Gulf nation, resulted in a “historic breakthrough” in ties between the UAE and Israel.
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“In the midst of Operation Roaring Lion, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the United Arab Emirates, where he met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed. This visit has led to a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the UAE,” read the complete statement issued by the Israeli prime minister’s office.
While Israel has issued its official statement, a comment from the UAE’s foreign ministry on the meeting is awaited.
What happened in the meeting?
As per a report by Reuters, people familiar with the matter stated that Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, also known as MBZ, met on March 26.
Reuters added that the main aim of the meeting was to coordinate military actions amid the war.
The confirmation of this meeting from Netanyahu’s office also comes after it was revealed by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee that Tel Aviv sent batteries for its Iron Dome interception system to operate from the UAE during the peak of the Iran war.
The US-Israeli war on Iran broke out on February 28. In response to the strikes from American and Israeli forces, and the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran launched a series of attacks on Gulf nations as part of its bid to target US bases in the region. UAE was the first, and among many, which were targeted by Iranian strikes.
Furthermore, the UAE was targeted more than any other country during the war, and despite the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran, the Gulf nation has reported multiple missile and drone attacks.
The UAE also remains a key ally for Washington in the region and was the first Arab nation to sign the Abraham Accords.
Where do UAE-Israel ties stand?
Diplomatic relations between the UAE and Israel began after both nations signed the Abraham Accords in 2020, brokered by US President Donald Trump during his first term.
The accords are a series of joint agreements between Arab nations and Israel, which not only recognise statehood for Israel but also normalise economic and security relations in the West Asia region.
As of now, the signatories of the Abraham Accords include Bahrain, the UAE, Morocco, Sudan and Israel.
While discussions remain ongoing, a major stall in talks and normalisation of diplomatic ties came after the outbreak of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023.
Despite signing the accord, ties between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv remain strained, especially due to Israel’s refusal to work towards the two-state solution, which guarantees statehood for Palestine.
This strain was further exacerbated after the war in Gaza, which to date has killed over 72,000 Palestinians and displaced over a million in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.
