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.
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.
