The United Arab Emirates’ Foreign Minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has called for an immediate end to the Gaza war during a rare meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, state media reported on Saturday.
This marks Netanyahu’s first encounter with a senior Arab official since Israel’s September 9 strike in Qatar that killed Hamas leaders—an attack the UAE publicly condemned and protested by summoning Israel’s deputy ambassador.
UAE’s Position on Peace
According to the UAE’s WAM news agency, Sheikh Abdullah emphasized his country’s “unwavering commitment to supporting all initiatives aimed at achieving a comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution.”
The UAE, a major oil producer and regional hub, was among the first Arab states to normalise relations with Israel under the 2020 U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords, alongside Bahrain and Morocco. While the accords opened the door to economic and defense cooperation, tensions have since grown over Israeli policies in Gaza and the West Bank.
Earlier this month, Abu Dhabi warned that any Israeli annexation of West Bank territory would be a “red line” and could jeopardize its diplomatic ties with Israel. Sources have suggested that the UAE may even downgrade relations if Netanyahu’s government moves ahead with annexation plans.
Global Shifts on Palestine
The UAE meeting also comes against the backdrop of growing international recognition of a Palestinian state. Last week, France, Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal all formally recognized Palestinian statehood—a move described as a bid to promote the two-state solution but sharply rejected by Israel.
Netanyahu, leading what is widely considered Israel’s most far-right government, has ruled out a Palestinian state and vowed to continue military operations against Hamas in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, attack that left about 1,200 people dead in Israel.
What to Watch
Reactions from Washington, which initially brokered the accords, as tensions test their durability.
Whether the UAE will intensify diplomatic pressure on Israel if the Gaza conflict continues.
Possible shifts in Arab consensus, especially among Abraham Accord partners Bahrain and Morocco.
