UAE president receives Israeli premier, discusses bilateral ties

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the latter’s visit to the country on Sunday, the UAE’s official news agency WAM reported Monday.

The two discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen and develop them, WAM said.

On Sunday, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported that Netanyahu traveled on a private plane owned by an unnamed Israeli businessman and used by senior Israeli figures for international trips.

KAN said Netanyahu’s office had not announced the visit, which it reported came amid controversy over a series of media disclosures regarding intelligence warnings he allegedly received ahead of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas.

On Friday, The New York Times reported that Netanyahu had received a confidential warning from the UAE president before the Hamas attack but had not passed it on to Israel’s security chiefs.