Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) in Abu Dhabi over the weekend, marking a significant high-level engagement between the two countries. Both sides officially confirmed the visit on Monday, September 28, 2026.
The meeting, which took place on Sunday, was initially reported as a secret trip by Israeli media before receiving formal acknowledgment from the UAE’s state news agency WAM and the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
The two leaders discussed bilateral relations between the UAE and Israel and ways to strengthen and develop them.
Israel’s side emphasized that the talks also focused on regional challenges.
Netanyahu was accompanied by his wife Sara Netanyahu, the head of the Mossad, the head of the National Security Council, his military secretary, and a foreign policy adviser.
Israeli officials indicated the meeting lasted several hours (reports range from four to six hours) and that Iran featured prominently in the discussions. The visit came at the invitation of the UAE President.
This is the first time both countries have publicly confirmed a visit by Netanyahu to the UAE since the Abraham Accords normalized relations in 2020. Earlier this year, Israel had claimed a previous secret meeting during operations related to Iran, which the UAE had denied at the time.
The engagement occurs against a complex regional backdrop, including ongoing diplomacy related to Iran and wider Middle East security issues. It also takes place less than a month before Israel’s parliamentary elections scheduled for October 27, 2026.
The meeting underscores the sustained diplomatic channels between the two nations even amid broader regional tensions.
UAE (WAM): “During the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral relations between the UAE and Israel and ways to strengthen and develop them.”
Israeli Prime Minister’s Office: The visit “focused on strengthening relations between the two countries and on regional challenges.”