Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent his close ally, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, to the United Arab Emirates in an effort to “repair strained relations between the countries following the war in Gaza,” sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.
Dermer met with UAE officials in Abu Dhabi, including President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to the report.
The visit, which neither country officially announced, came amid heightened security alerts late last month. Israel’s Foreign Ministry had instructed most Israeli diplomats and their families to evacuate UAE missions, following warnings received domestically and from Western allies, including the U.S. and U.K., about potential attacks on UAE sites connected to Israelis and Jews.
According to a source who spoke to Bloomberg, Dermer’s visit centered on “briefing UAE leadership” on Israel’s planned operation to take control of Gaza City. Abu Dhabi officials warned that a full-scale takeover could “lead to catastrophic outcomes.”
Israel and the UAE normalized relations in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, mediated by the U.S. and President Donald Trump, opening doors for Israelis to travel to the Gulf for business and tourism. However, tensions have grown since the October 7 terror attack. Three sources told Bloomberg that Abu Dhabi’s public distancing from Netanyahu’s government has slowed efforts to deepen political and economic ties.
The UAE president, MBZ, reportedly refused to meet Netanyahu. In recent weeks, Abu Dhabi has also intensified its rhetoric against Israel amid the ongoing conflict.
Last month, President bin Zayed hosted opposition leader Yair Lapid at his palace. Lapid also met UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed during a brief visit. According to Lapid’s office, discussions focused on regional developments and the urgent need to secure the release of all hostages.
Netanyahu’s allies expressed displeasure over Lapid’s meeting, viewing it as interference in Israel’s internal politics. “It’s odd that an opposition leader is invited before the sitting prime minister,” they said. Lapid’s team dismissed the claims, emphasizing that his visit was purely humanitarian, aimed at securing the hostages, not political maneuvering.