Why Netanyahu leaked his secret wartime visit to the UAE

AI Summary

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office leaked news of a secret wartime visit to the UAE, contradicting the UAE’s denial. The visit, occurring during the Iran-Israel conflict, has political implications for Emirati-Israeli relations amid the ongoing regional war and is part of broader undisclosed military cooperation including Israeli troops stationed in the UAE.

Why Netanyahu leaked his secret wartime visit to the UAE Ali Bakir on Thu, 05/21/2026 - 13:19 By going public with a meeting Abu Dhabi wanted kept quiet, Netanyahu trapped the Emiratis between domestic embarrassment and the regional cost of their Israel ties Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a ceremony in Jerusalem, Israel, 21 April 2026 (Ilia Yefimovich/Pool/Reuters) On On 13 May, Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a brief yet dramatic statement saying that, during the war with Iran, the Israeli prime minister had "secretly visited" the United Arab Emirates and met President Mohammed bin Zayed in what it described as a "historic breakthrough". Hours later, the UAE foreign ministry pushed back with unusual sharpness, calling the report "entirely unfounded" and reminding the world that Emirati-Israeli relations operate openly under the 2020 Abraham Accords. The Emiratis were reportedly furious over the disclosure. Israeli outlets quickly filled in the blanks. The Times of Israel, which is close to Netanyahu, published specific details on the secret trip to further embarrass Abu Dhabi and deliberately undermine its denial. The outlet said the meeting took place on 26 March in the oasis city of Al-Ain, near the Oman border and lasted several hours, adding that "MBZ drove Netanyahu in his personal car from the plane to the palace". Some platforms claimed that flight-tracking data showed two Israeli-linked Bombardier business jets flying from Tel Aviv to Al-Ain that day. Netanyahu's former chief of staff Ziv Agmon wrote openly on Facebook that he had accompanied his boss, that the visit was "top secret until today" and that Sheikh Mohammed personally drove Netanyahu from the airport to the palace. By bringing the visit into the public eye, Netanyahu is pushing the UAE towards a greater acknowledgement of their cooperation, which Abu Dhabi prefers to keep discreet The Wall Street Journal reported that Mossad chief David Barnea had also travelled to the UAE at least twice during the war. Others reported that Shin Bet director David Zini had also visited, while Israeli military chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, was separately reported to have made the trip too. American officials, including US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, had already confirmed that Israel deployed Israeli soldiers to operate Iron Dome batteries on Emirati soil. At this point, two things are clear: Netanyahu did visit, and the UAE denied it. The question is not why Netanyahu visited Abu Dhabi, but why his office leaked the information and why there is an insistence on portraying the UAE as dishonest. Why did Abu Dhabi deny the visit, especially given that their ties are openly governed by the Abraham Accords? And what implications does this public dispute carry for the bilateral relationship? Netanyahu's calculations Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history, a politician defined by corruption charges, an ICC warrant and a reputation for authoritarian tendencies. He faces an election later this year, an ongoing corruption trial and an International Criminal Court warrant over Gaza. He needs every win he can claim - particularly one that makes him look like a statesman welcomed in an Arab capital rather than an international pariah. How the Iran war broke the ambitions of 'Little Sparta' Read More » Announcing a face-to-face meeting with the UAE president serves that purpose precisely. It tells the Israeli public that the Abraham Accords have survived the Gaza war. It further signals that Iran failed to isolate Israel during a regional confrontation and that Netanyahu personally can still close deals in the region. In other words, he cashed in a significant diplomatic event for domestic gain - one that appears of far less political significance to the UAE. There are additional motives. By bringing the visit into the public eye, Netanyahu is pushing the UAE towards a greater acknowledgement of their cooperation, which Abu Dhabi prefers to keep discreet. If the Emirates eventually confirm what they currently deny, that confirmation becomes part of Netanyahu's legacy. If they do not, the leak still generates the headlines he wants. In every scenario, Netanyahu gains; in every scenario, the UAE loses. Beyond domestic calculations, there is a message directed at Iran: Israel is capable of moving its prime minister, intelligence chiefs and military chief into the Gulf during a hot conflict. This capability functions as a deterrent in itself. But the most consequential motive is Israel's desire to deepen the rift between the UAE and its regional rivals. By publicly entangling Abu Dhabi in Israeli security arrangements, Netanyahu advances a divide-and-conquer strategy - deepening regional fragmentation while reinforcing the UAE's dependence on Israeli security coordination. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); This is something the UAE neither needs nor would w