Relations between Qatar and its Persian Gulf neighbors Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain sank to a new low in March when the three governments withdrew their ambassadors from Doha, accusing it of meddling in their affairs and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood.

UAE State Minister for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash demanded an "official apology" from Doha-based Al-Jazeera for publishing news stating that a meeting had taken place between foreign ministers of the UAE and Israel, local media said Monday.

The website of Al-Jazeera Mubashar Misr, reported on Saturday that UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan had met with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman and proposed "financing" the Israeli "aggression" against Gaza "on the condition that Hamas resistance group would be completely eliminated."

Al-Jazeera was quoting a website named "Arabi21", which in turn said it was quoting Israel's Channel 2.

Local Emirati media reported that Channel 2 has denied it had published such information.

On his Twitter account, Sheikh Abdullah wrote that "I have chosen not to respond" to such claims.

Local media has also slammed a campaign by Qatari Tweeters accusing members of the Emirati Red Crescent mission in Gaza of being "spies" for Israel.

Columnist Mohammed al-Hammadi criticized Qatar's "incitement against the United Arab Emirates" in an article on Abu Dhabi daily, Al-Ittihad.

Relations between Qatar and its Persian Gulf neighbors have been strained since Doha backed Egypt's former Islamist president Mohammed Morsi, ousted by the military last year in a move swiftly applauded by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

On June 27, the United Arab Emirates arrested two Qatari citizens described as "spies" by Emirati media.

NJF/NJF