"WAM": Netanyahu visited the UAE on Sunday and discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance them

- The Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on Monday that the President of the State, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited the UAE yesterday, Sunday. The agency clarified that the two sides discussed during their meeting "the bilateral relations between the UAE and Israel and ways to enhance and develop them."

An Israeli source familiar with the visit explained to the Afaq News network on Sunday that Netanyahu visited the UAE and discussed with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed "the issue of Iran, which dominated the agenda." This rare visit comes a month before the Israeli elections scheduled for October 27, against the backdrop of rising political controversy in Israel regarding reports published by the newspapers "Haaretz" and "The New York Times," claiming that Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed warned Netanyahu of a major operation by Hamas days before the attack on October 7, 2023.

Netanyahu's office has repeatedly denied receiving any warning, describing these reports as "fabricated lies" aimed at harming him electorally. However, his opponents have exploited these claims to make accountability for the failure to prevent the October 7, 2023 attack a central issue in the election campaign.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously announced earlier this month that it "does not comment on media reports or speculations regarding discussions between government leaders." The Likud party, led by Netanyahu, later issued a statement published on the Prime Minister's account on the X platform, claiming that there was "blatant foreign interference" in the Israeli elections by Palestinian politician Mohammed Dahlan.

The party did not provide any evidence to support this claim. Meanwhile, Netanyahu's opponents have used this warning to renew their attacks on his handling of the events leading up to October 7.