Netanyahu and UAE President Meet Amid Disputed Regional Summit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a six-hour bilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Both the UAE's official WAM news agency and Netanyahu's office confirmed the discussions focused on bilateral relations and regional challenges, specifically the threat posed by Iran.

Reports from Israeli media, including Channel 14 and Ynet, initially claimed the visit included a second, expanded stage involving representatives from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, Libya, Jordan, and Oman. These reports suggested the group discussed a new regional defense alliance to counter Iran and Yemen's Houthi group, intelligence assistance for Saudi Arabia, and a potential oil transport route to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

However, the Government of Saudi Arabia and the Government of Jordan subsequently denied participating in any such expanded meeting. The Government of Jordan attributed the reports to electoral considerations. Ynet later issued a correction stating it could not confirm the expanded meeting took place, leaving the bilateral talks between Israel and the UAE as the only verified component of the visit.