Netanyahu Makes Rare Abu Dhabi Visit, Israeli Official Confirms

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Abu Dhabi on Sunday, an Israeli official confirmed, marking a significant diplomatic engagement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. The visit underscores the continued, if sometimes quiet, diplomatic activity between the two nations that normalized relations under the 2020 Abraham Accords.

Details of the meetings held during Netanyahu's trip, including whom he met with and what agenda items were discussed, were not immediately made public. The discretion surrounding the visit reflects the sensitivity of Israeli-Arab diplomatic contacts, particularly amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has strained Israel's relationships across the broader Middle East.

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The UAE was one of the first Arab nations to normalize ties with Israel through the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords, and the two countries have since developed economic and security cooperation. High-level visits between Israeli and Emirati leaders, while not routine, signal the durability of that relationship even as regional pressures mount.

Sunday's trip comes as Netanyahu navigates intense international scrutiny over Israel's military campaign in Gaza and diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire and hostage release deal. Back-channel diplomacy with Gulf states has reportedly played a role in ongoing negotiations, lending additional strategic weight to any direct engagement between Israeli and UAE leadership.

Continue reading at Reuters.