UAE president discussed bilateral relations with Israel's Netanyahu, state news agency says

UAE ​President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed ‌Al Nahyan ​discussed bilateral relations during a visit on Sunday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the Gulf ‌country, the Emirati state news agency WAM reported on Monday.

The report by WAM was the first UAE confirmation of Netanyahu's visit. The Israeli prime minister's office said ‌on Monday that Netanyahu visited at the invitation of the UAE ‌president. It said the visit "focused on strengthening relations between the two countries and on regional challenges".

Three senior Israeli officials said the meeting on Sunday lasted six hours and focused on ⁠Iran. Earlier this ​year, the UAE ⁠denied that Sheikh Mohamed met with Netanyahu after the Israeli prime minister's office said ⁠in May that Netanyahu had "secretly visited" the Gulf country and met with the president.

A source ​familiar with the meeting said at the time that Netanyahu and Sheikh ⁠Mohamed met in Al-Ain, an oasis city in Abu Dhabi along the country's border ⁠with ​Oman, on March 26. Since coming under attack during the Iran war, the UAE has strengthened its relationships with the United States and Israel, ⁠with which it opened ties as a result of the 2020 Abraham Accords. ⁠The relationship with ⁠Israel gives the UAE a lever for regional influence and a unique channel to Washington.