UAE calls off Netanyahu trip, says won’t get involved in ‘Israeli electioneering’

The United Arab Emirates rejected attempts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to squeeze in his first trip to the Gulf state before next week’s election.

Netanyahu had been working on a visit to Abu Dhabi and a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday, a week after his planned trip was postponed for the first time.

Former UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash, who left the role last month, tweeted on Wednesday: “From the UAE’s perspective, the purpose of the Abrahamic Accords is to provide a robust strategic foundation to foster peace and prosperity with the State of Israel and in the wider region. The UAE will not be a part in any internal electioneering in Israel, now or ever.”

Gargash’s statement was unusually candid for someone close to the decision-making in Abu Dhabi.

Netanyahu denied that a trip had been planned for this week, telling Radio Galey Israel: “I’m not going to Abu Dhabi before the election. It’s spin. I don’t know who spread it.”

However, Emirati sources told The Jerusalem Post otherwise on Tuesday, and Netanyahu’s schedule had been cleared of political events on Thursday. The Prime Minister’s Office and the Likud campaign did not deny reports the prime minister was planning such a trip, though they did not confirm it either.

Netanyahu has previously postponed four planned visits to the UAE since the Gulf state announced peace with Israel in August. Two postponements were because of COVID-19 lockdowns, and one was because bin Zayed had a scheduling conflict.

Last week’s planned UAE trip was canceled after Jordan blocked Netanyahu’s flight in retaliation for an incident in which Jordanian Crown Prince Hussein canceled a visit to the Temple Mount, after attempting to go with a cadre of armed guards, contrary to prior agreements with Israel. Netanyahu then ordered that Jordanian flights not be allowed into Israeli airspace. Within several hours, before any Jordanian flights were actually blocked, Jordan agreed to allow Netanyahu’s flyover, but by then, Netanyahu and bin Salman agreed to postpone their meeting.

Netanyahu said on Tuesday that he expects Israel to make peace with four more countries in the region.

“I brought four peace agreements,” Netanyahu said in an interview with Ynet. “There are another four on the way. I talked about one of them yesterday.”

Netanyahu said he received a call from “one of the leaders in the region” on Monday night, and they spoke for 45 minutes.