UAE Denies Netanyahu's Office Claims, Asserts No Secret Ties with Israel

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, ABU DHABI – The United Arab Emirates has denied a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office claiming that the Zionist leader secretly visited the Gulf country during the US-Israel war against Iran. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry rejected reports of Netanyahu’s visit to the UAE or the reception of an Israeli military delegation in Emirati territory. The Ministry stressed that relations between the UAE and Israel are open to the public and known within the framework of the Abraham Accords. Those relations are not based on secrecy or hidden arrangements. “Any claims regarding unannounced visits are unfounded unless announced by the official Emirati authorities,” the statement said. Netanyahu’s office claimed that the secret visit occurred during Operation “Lion’s Roar” and resulted in a historic breakthrough in relations between the two. According to a TRT report, this announcement followed comments by US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, who said Israel had deployed its Iron Dome system to the UAE during the war against Iran. Tehran targeted the UAE more than any other country during the Gulf regional conflict triggered by US-Israel attacks in February. Despite the ceasefire last month, the UAE reported several missile and drone attacks from Iran.