United Arab Emirates - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

UAE cover image

United Arab Emirates

September 30, 2026

Abu Dhabi 12:06 pm

35°C

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after speaking during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on Sept. 24, 2026.

Exclusive

Inside Netanyahu’s relentless push for meeting with UAE’s MBZ

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu managed to persuade the Emiratis to receive him a month before Israel’s elections, but like other Arab capitals, Abu Dhabi is also in contact with his political rivals.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

MBS hosts Sheikh Mansour as Saudi-UAE ties thaw: What to know

The renewed outreach comes as Saudi Arabia faces mounting attacks from the Iran-backed Houthis.

United Arab Emirates

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed

UAE’s Sheikh Mansour to visit Saudi Arabia amid strained ties

The two Gulf countries have been at odds over Yemen, where Saudi Arabia backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government, while the UAE has supported the separatist Southern Transitional Council.

Ronen Bar, former chief of Israel's domestic Shin Bet security agency

Ex-Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar to sue Netanyahu over Oct. 7 accusations: What to know

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar of withholding information in the hours before the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, but the former security chief rejected the claim, saying he intends to file a defamation suit.

Latest News

Turkey's FM in UAE to discuss Yemen war, Hormuz closure: What to know

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) received His Excellency Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey (L), in Abu Dhabi on Sept. 28, 2026.

On secret UAE visit, Netanyahu asked MBZ to deny pre-Oct. 7 warnings

Israeli PM

Samuel Wendel

Senior Analyst, Middle East Business & Tech

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Mohammed Soliman

In Washington, DC, reporting on Gulf politics

Jewish group takes over another Jerusalem property

The chaos surrounding the issue of properties in Jerusalem point to a larger problem, namely the absence of a unified solid political leadership that can guide the city’s 330,000 Palestinians.

United Arab Emirates

White House senior advisor Jared Kushner (C) arrives to join U.S. President Donald Trump and the rest of the U.S. delegation to meet with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC161444CEB0

Democrats’ promised Trump probes threaten to sweep up Mideast allies

Key US allies could be caught in the crosshairs as Democrats plan extensive investigations into President Donald Trump’s policies and business dealings should they win in November.

People carry food aid delivered by the International Committee of the Red Cross to internally displaced people in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, July 21, 2018. REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad - RC1233D23F30

UN warns of famine after Yemen talks sputter

In an interview with Al-Monitor, the top UN aid official in Yemen warned that 10 million more people are at risk of starving if fighting in the war-torn country doesn’t stop.

A soldier from the United Arab Emirates stands guard next to a UAE military plane at the airport of Yemen's southern port city of Aden August 8, 2015. Soldiers from the United Arab Emirates, at the head of a Gulf Arab coalition fighting Iran-allied Houthi forces in Yemen, are preparing for a long, tough ground war from their base in the southern port of Aden. Picture taken August 8, 2015. REUTERS/Nasser Awad - GF20000082000

Intel: Why the Gulf states should fear a blue wave in November

How did Turkey end up with VIP plane it didn’t need?

A Qatar leader's VIP plane that had first been put up for sale ended up as a gift for Erdogan, causing a major stir in Turkey.

United Arab Emirates

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) waits for the start of an event with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (2-R) and Gulf Cooperation Council leaders at their summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 21, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC17B78F1020

Trump shelves Gulf talks until next year

The White House has once again postponed a Gulf Cooperation Council summit aimed at bringing together the fragmented alliance to counter Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah at the White House in Washington, U.S., September 5, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RC1CF8BD1230

Qatar crisis looms over Trump meeting with Kuwait emir

In a quiet visit overshadowed by domestic US political turmoil, Kuwait’s emir visited the White House on Wednesday.

A man sits in front of a house destroyed by air strikes in Sanaa, Yemen June 6, 2018. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah - RC1182083EA0

UN war crimes report threatens US support for Yemen war

A UN report alleging that the anti-Houthi coalition may have carried out war crimes could further erode support for US bomb sales and military support.

Humanitarian aid is prepared to be delivered to Syria, in the town of Ramtha, Jordan, July 2, 2018. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC12927A2020

US outsources Syria aid to Gulf

In an apparent win for the Donald Trump administration, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to pick up the tab to stabilize Syria.

People walk past a house destroyed by an air strike in the old quarter of Sanaa, Yemen August 8, 2018. Picture taken August 8, 2018. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah - RC1116261260

Trump, Democrats face off over Yemen war

President Donald Trump is spurning Congress’ bipartisan bid to exert more control over the war in Yemen despite signing key oversight provisions into law.

U.S. President Donald Trump signs the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 at the White House in Washington D.C., U.S. December 12, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria - RC1DBA301210

US defense bill could impact arms exports to Middle East

This year’s US defense authorization bill calls for reforming America’s high-tech exports even as weapons sales to the region boom.

Yemen war escalates as Houthis threaten UAE, Saudi Arabia

Escalating threats by Yemen's Houthi rebels indicate the group is still not intimidated by the Saudi-led coalition, portending more suffering for Yemeni civilians.