A planned visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday was canceled, Israel's public radio Kan said, citing a source involved in the planning.
The announcement came hours after a news report said his wife Sara Netanyahu was hospitalized with an appendix infection at Jerusalem's Hadassah Medical Center. An official in the prime minister's office said that Sara Netanyahu felt unwell and was taken to Hadassah Medical Center, where she will remain hospitalized for several days. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.
Israeli media reported the planned visit on Wednesday, saying Netanyahu would meet Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Commentators deemed it a chance for Netanyahu to flourish his diplomatic credentials ahead of Israel's March 23 election.
Netanyahu is locked in a tight race against a field of challengers in Israel's fourth election in two years and is sure to use the trip – 12 days before Israelis go to the polls – to his own political advantage.
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