Netanyahu's secret UAE trip: What is Israel's military censorship really for? - opinion

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's secret trip to Abu Dhabi for a meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan raises questions about the use of military censorship. The trip was reported by Channel 12 while Netanyahu was still abroad, prompting a Shin Bet complaint. The article argues that Netanyahu blurred state security interests with his personal political needs, particularly regarding reports that the Emirati leader warned him about a looming Hamas attack before October 7, 2023.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew secretly to Abu Dhabi on Sunday for an hour-long meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The trip was reported by Israel's Channel 12 while Netanyahu was still abroad, prompting his office to say the Shin Bet filed a complaint accusing the network of violating military censorship rules. The article argues that military censorship exists for national security, not for a prime minister's personal political interests. The Associated Press reported that a person with firsthand knowledge said Netanyahu asked Sheikh Mohamed to deny a report that the Emirati leader had warned him about a looming Hamas attack shortly before October 7, 2023. Netanyahu's office denies any such request was made. The UAE Foreign Ministry on September 8 did not deny either the call or the warning. On September 20, an unnamed UAE official told The National that security matters are handled through professional bodies, not at the leaders' level. The article argues that under Netanyahu, the line separating the prime minister's interests from the state's has become blurry, and that military censorship is not a public relations tool. It notes that Israel is approaching an election after three years of war, and that Netanyahu's political future is uncertain.