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Report Alleges Netanyahu Received Explicit Warning
An investigation by Israeli newspaper Haaretz has revealed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was personally warned by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan about Hamas’s plans for a major attack approximately 10 days before the October 7, 2023 assault. The report claims this warning was one of several Netanyahu received and allegedly ignored.
According to the investigation, the UAE president expressed concern to Netanyahu that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was preparing a “major event” that could lead to significant bloodshed, destabilize the region, and threaten the Abraham Accords. The UAE leader reportedly urged Netanyahu to take the threat seriously.
Claimed Netanyahu Didn’t Act, Dismissed Threat
The report states that during a 45-minute phone call, Netanyahu reacted calmly, saying he believed Hamas was planning an operation in the occupied West Bank rather than from Gaza and assured bin Zayed that Israel was prepared for any scenario.
Haaretz further alleges that Netanyahu failed to share the UAE warning with senior security officials, including the heads of the Shin Bet, Mossad, and the military. A senior Shin Bet official is quoted as saying that knowing about the warnings “could have changed our entire assessment picture”.
The Haaretz report, based on dozens of sources and documents, also claims Hamas offered to release civilian hostages through mediators, though accounts differ on conditions.
Netanyahu’s Office Denies, Opposition Reacts
Netanyahu’s office strongly denied the report, calling it an “absolute lie” and stating no such phone call took place. The Prime Minister’s Office suggested that if the UAE had intelligence, it would have been conveyed through standard channels. The UAE has not confirmed or denied the report directly.
The allegations have renewed political pressure on Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s October 27 elections. Opposition leaders, including Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot, have accused Netanyahu of “criminal negligence,” with Bennett stating, “Netanyahu bears personal and direct responsibility for the failure that led to the deaths of thousands of Israelis on his watch”.
