In what is being widely seen as a bold diplomatic maneuver, the United Arab Emirates foreign minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, declined to join mass walkouts at the United Nations over Israel's Gaza offensive, opting instead to hold a private meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The decision underscores both Abu Dhabi's willingness to engage directly in crisis diplomacy and the delicate balancing act it is playing as a mediator in the Arab-Israeli arena.
On the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Sheikh Abdullah pressed Netanyahu to call a ceasefire in Gaza, demanded the release of hostages, and reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to a two-state solution.
In private remarks afterward, a UAE official said the country had "closed the file" on West Bank annexation, warning that any move to absorb Palestinian territories would imperil the normalization accords.
The meeting stands in contrast to the wave of country-level boycotts and criticisms of Israel in New York.
Several delegations left Netanyahu's U.N. address in protest, signaling deep international disquiet over the Gaza war and Israeli settlement policies.
Yet Abu Dhabi, which often has charted an independent diplomatic course, chose engagement over symbolic distancing.
For his part, Netanyahu signaled that he views the UAE as a key partner, even amid serious disagreements over Gaza and the contours of a Palestinian state.
In his public remarks, he argued that Israel and the UAE still share vital strategic and economic interests, particularly in security, energy, trade, and regional stability.
He portrayed the meeting as an opportunity to preserve the "momentum" created by the Abraham Accords and to shore up Arab-Israeli economic ties, even in trying times.
Netanyahu's posture remains uncompromising on Gaza: He has pledged to "finish the job," rejecting international recognition of a Palestinian state and asserting that the conflict is fundamentally about defeating Hamas.
At the same time, he insists that military operations must be complemented by diplomatic channels and views the UAE as an indispensable interlocutor even when tensions run high.
Over the past five years, the UAE has positioned itself as one of the few Arab states willing to maintain an open, cooperative relationship with Israel.
When the Abraham Accords were inked in 2020, Abu Dhabi became the first Gulf Arab state to normalize ties with Israel, setting off a cascade of new trade, investment, and security links.
Even as the war in Gaza has provoked widespread condemnation of Israel, UAE officials have insisted that trade should not be politicized.
"We don't mix the economy and trade with politics," said Thani al-Zeyoudi, the minister of state for foreign trade.
Indeed, economic ties between Israel and the UAE have steadily grown. In recent years they signed a free-trade agreement (the UAE-Israel Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement); deepened cooperation in high tech, energy, tourism, and finance; and exchanged diplomatic missions.
Abu Dhabi sees maintaining open channels — even when fraught — as essential to both its regional influence and its aspirations as a global hub.
At the same time, the UAE has not shied from warning that it has red lines.
In September, it publicly declared that any attempt by Israel to annex parts of the West Bank would cross a "red line" and would jeopardize the spirit of the Abraham Accords.
Central to this posture is the leadership of President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Under his stewardship, the UAE has transformed itself into a forward-leaning regional power focused on diversification, diplomacy, and strategic hedging.
Analysts say Sheikh Mohammed sees the Israel relationship as a key pivot — a potential gateway to new alliances, innovation, and geopolitical leverage.
Meanwhile, senior U.S. and UAE delegations convened in Abu Dhabi for the ninth U.S.-UAE Joint Military Dialogue.
With the U.S. delegation led by Assistant War Secretary Daniel Zimmerman, they reaffirmed their commitment to a strong bilateral defense relationship, pledging to expand cooperation across military and security domains.
Officials from both nations said the partnership would focus on enhancing military-to-military ties, joint capability development, and long-term defense alignment.
As major defense partners, the United States and UAE agreed to deepen collaboration in several areas, with plans to sign a Special Operations Forces Statement of Intent in the near future.
Both sides emphasized that their defense ties will continue to be built on mutual respect, shared interests, and the pursuit of peace through strength. U.S. and UAE leaders said the relationship remains a cornerstone of regional security and stability.