The Prime Minister’s Workplace’s uncommon resolution to substantiate that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had visited the United Arab Emirates through the conflict with Iran was pushed by concern that former prime minister Naftali Bennett was additionally anticipated to journey to Abu Dhabi, N12 reported on Sunday.
In accordance with the N12 report, first printed on its most important night broadcast, Netanyahu’s workplace feared that if Bennett’s deliberate go to turned public whereas Netanyahu’s personal wartime journey remained categorised, it could create the impression that Bennett was a welcome visitor within the UAE whereas Netanyahu was not.
The PMO confirmed final Wednesday that Netanyahu had visited the UAE at first of Operation Roaring Lion and met with Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, describing the go to as a “historic breakthrough” in ties between the 2 nations. The UAE International Ministry later denied that any such go to by Netanyahu or Israeli army officers had taken place, saying claims of undisclosed visits had been baseless until issued by official Emirati authorities.
N12 reported that Abu Dhabi had explicitly requested that the assembly stay confidential and that the general public affirmation from Jerusalem triggered severe diplomatic tensions. The report mentioned the choice to reveal the go to was not motivated by diplomatic concerns, however by a political calculation linked to Bennett.
Two sources acquainted with the matter, who had been cited by N12, mentioned Bennett was anticipated to go to the UAE and meet bin Zayed and different senior Emirati officers. Netanyahu, the report mentioned, was unwilling to permit a scenario wherein Bennett’s go to could be public whereas his personal remained hidden.
The report added that the army censor had most popular to maintain Netanyahu’s go to beneath wraps, however the PMO approved publication regardless of what N12 described as accepted diplomatic norms in relations with the UAE. Bennett’s alleged go to has not been formally confirmed, and his workplace advised N12 it could not verify the small print or deal with whether or not such a go to had taken place. Netanyahu’s workplace denied the report.
The episode comes at a delicate political second for Netanyahu. Bennett’s reported UAE plans got here as the previous prime minister has reemerged as Netanyahu’s most severe political challenger forward of a doable election. A KAN 11 ballot printed final week discovered {that a} united Naftali Bennett-Yair Lapid framework was the one celebration presently positioned to threaten Likud, with Netanyahu’s celebration receiving 26 seats and Bennett’s Collectively Celebration, merged with Lapid, reaching 25.
That context made the UAE problem politically explosive. Netanyahu has lengthy introduced the Abraham Accords and ties with Gulf states as one in every of his signature diplomatic achievements. A public notion that Bennett may safe entry to Abu Dhabi whereas Netanyahu’s personal go to remained secret would have risked undercutting one of many prime minister’s central foreign-policy arguments at a time when the opposition is making an attempt to border him as politically weakened.
The UAE’s denial additionally mirrored a broader regional sensitivity. N12 reported that Abu Dhabi was involved about being seen as overtly aligned with the anti-Iran axis at a time of heightened safety tensions. The problem turned extra delicate after reviews of Israeli-UAE coordination through the Iran conflict, together with claims that Mossad chief David Barnea and Shin Guess chief David Zini visited the UAE and that Israel offered Iron Dome batteries to assist defend the Gulf state.
