A billboard bearing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's image at the Likud headquarters in Tel Aviv, September 27, 2026. (Credit:Nir Elias/Reuters)
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday denied that its representatives took part in a meeting in Abu Dhabi between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, AFP reported.
A Saudi official told AFP that no representatives of the kingdom attended a broader meeting reportedly held Sunday following the talks between Netanyahu and the Emirati president. Israeli media had reported that Saudi representatives took part in the meeting, where discussions focused on security cooperation, Iran, the Houthis in Yemen and regional defense systems.
“No official meetings, no discussions, nothing at all; our position on Israel remains unchanged,” the Saudi official told AFP.
The United Arab Emirates is one of the few Arab countries to maintain official diplomatic relations with Israel, having established ties under the Abraham Accords in 2020 during US President Donald Trump’s first term. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has conditioned recognition of Israel on the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Riyadh began talks on normalizing relations with Israel in 2023 but withdrew from the process following the outbreak of the Gaza war, which began after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
