CAIRO: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks on bilateral relations during a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the Gulf state on Sunday, according to the Emirati state news agency WAM, which reported the development on Monday.
The WAM report marked the first UAE official confirmation of Netanyahu’s visit.
The Israeli prime minister’s office said on Monday that the trip was made at the invitation of the UAE president, adding that discussions centred on strengthening ties between the two nations and addressing regional challenges.
Three senior Israeli officials said the meeting on Sunday lasted six hours and focused on Iran.
Earlier this year, the UAE denied that Sheikh Mohamed met with Netanyahu after the Israeli prime minister’s office said in May that Netanyahu had “secretly visited” the Gulf country and met with the president.
A source familiar with the meeting said at the time that Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohamed met in Al-Ain, an oasis city in Abu Dhabi along the country’s border with Oman, on March 26.
Since coming under attack during the Iran war, the UAE has strengthened its relationships with the United States and Israel, with which it opened ties as a result of the 2020 Abraham Accords. The relationship with Israel gives the UAE a lever for regional influence and a unique channel to Washington.