IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot visited the United Arab Emirates twice over the past month, Lebanon's Al-Akhbar newspaper reported Friday.
According to the report, during both visits to Abu Dhabi, Eizenkot met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed.
The meetings focused on a potential Israeli arms sale to the UAE, the report said, adding that Eizenkot and the crown prince also discussed a visit by UAE defense officials to Israel.
The Lebanese daily further alleged that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was looking to normalize Israel's relations with Bahrain.
Quoting American Israel Public Affairs Committee President Mort Fridman, the report said that Saudi Arabia, Bahrain's regional patron, has given the tiny Gulf emirate its blessing to set up an economic mission in Israel and to host a corresponding Israeli mission in Manama.
The report further said that Netanyahu was currently exploring visiting Bahrain, as part of his efforts to promote diplomatic normalization between the Jewish state and the moderate Sunni states in the Persian Gulf.
Kuwait is also eyeing normalizing relations with Israel, but prefers to be the last Gulf state to do so, Al-Akhbar reported.
