Netanyahu Using Abu Dhabi to Boost his Prospects in Upcoming Elections: UAE

The diplomatic spat comes just six months after a historic normalization agreement, known as the Abraham Accords, was signed between the two countries.

"The UAE signed the Accords for the hope and opportunities they provide our people, not individual leaders," an Emirati official told CNN.

"Personalizing and politicizing the Accords in this way demeans the historic achievement. The UAE will not go down that road," the official added.

Netanyahu, who faces a general election in five days' time, has taken to name-dropping Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed in recent appearances and campaign stops, billing himself as the facilitator of multi-billion-dollar UAE investment projects in Israel, and suggesting his opponents do not have the same clout.