Israeli Politics · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Il Foglio Says Saddam Haftar Met Benjamin Netanyahu in Abu Dhabi During UAE Visit
Saddam Haftar, son of Khalifa Haftar, reportedly met Netanyahu in Abu Dhabi. Italian report claims Netanyahu met Saddam Haftar during UAE visit, not independently confirmed.
10 outlets told this the same way.
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Secret Abu Dhabi meeting
Italian newspaper Il Foglio reported that Saddam Haftar, deputy commander of forces in eastern Libya and son of Khalifa Haftar, held a secret meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during Netanyahu’s visit to the United Arab Emirates. Il Foglio said flight-tracking data showed Saddam Haftar’s aircraft, an Airbus A319 with registration P4-KH5I9, landing at Al Bateen airport in Abu Dhabi at 12:40, about 20 minutes after Netanyahu arrived.
A Libyan source close to the Haftar family told the paper the meeting took place, while Israel, Libya and the UAE have not confirmed the encounter. Netanyahu’s office announced that the visit discussed strengthening relations between the two countries and regional challenges, and the Associated Press reported that Netanyahu asked Bin Zayed to deny reports that claimed he had warned in advance about the October 7 attack.
No confirmation, competing claims
The Italian report claimed Saddam Haftar met Netanyahu in Abu Dhabi, and i24NEWS described the meeting as aimed at bolstering support for Saddam’s bid to become president of Libya. Mohammed Buisier, a former political adviser to Khalifa Haftar, told Il Foglio that “Saddam met Netanyahu to secure political support for his bid to run Libya,” and the report tied the claim to flight-tracking data showing a Libyan government plane landing shortly after Netanyahu’s arrival.
Lebanon Debate said there had been no official confirmation from Israel or Libya about the meeting, even as it cited mako and Il Foglio in describing Netanyahu’s undisclosed stop alongside his meeting with President Mohammed bin Zayed. The Times of Israel said the plane of the deputy commander of the faction controlling eastern Libya landed in Abu Dhabi some 20 minutes after Netanyahu and that the timing “fuel[ed] speculation of a covert meeting between the two.”
Libya bid and U.S. ties
Il Foglio framed the alleged Abu Dhabi stop as part of a wider effort by Haftar to court Israel and the United States, including planned or sought meetings with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance after earlier talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Political analyst Mohammed Buysir confirmed that Saddam al-Haftar arrived in Abu Dhabi simultaneously with the arrival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Libya Observer said Khalifa Haftar was there to receive treatment.
Islam Times reported that El País said the meeting with Netanyahu may be aimed at restoring Haftar’s legitimacy in Washington, and it quoted the newspaper’s framing that “His meeting with Netanyahu may be aimed at restoring his legitimacy in Washington”.
The Libya Observer also said the Emirates News Agency (WAM) announced Saddam al-Haftar’s arrival in Abu Dhabi, where he was received by UAE Deputy President Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan on September 25.