JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced renewed scrutiny after Haaretz reported that United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed warned him directly about an impending Hamas offensive days before the Oct. 7, 2023 attack. Netanyahu's office swiftly denied the report, calling it an "absolute lie."
Haaretz reported that bin Zayed spoke with Netanyahu 10 days before the attack, specifically naming Yahya Sinwar, then the leader of Hamas in Gaza, as planning an operation. The Emirati president reportedly cautioned that the operation would lead to bloodshed and destabilize the region.
According to Haaretz, Netanyahu "reacted with relative calm" to the warning. The newspaper stated Netanyahu assured bin Zayed that Israel was prepared for any scenario and that a potential attack was more likely to originate from the occupied West Bank.
Netanyahu's office asserted that the prime minister did not speak with the UAE president "during the period in question and received no warning from him." On Tuesday, the office stated that "If there was any relevant information, it was passed through intelligence channels between the two countries."
The UAE's Foreign Ministry declined to comment, referring to it as "speculation regarding conversations between government leaders." The ministry confirmed that Israel and the UAE have maintained "open and direct lines of communication" since establishing formal ties five years ago, adding that "When necessary, all relevant intelligence has been and continues to be communicated."
The Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas militants resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the capture of 251 hostages. Israel's military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 73,650 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
The report emerges as Israel prepares for national elections next month, where Netanyahu's handling of events leading up to Oct. 7 is a central campaign issue. Calls for an official government inquiry into the events have been rejected by Netanyahu.
Gadi Eisenkot, a former top general and political opponent to Netanyahu in the upcoming election, criticized the prime minister for disregarding dozens of warnings before the attack. "Netanyahu is unfit," Eisenkot wrote on social media.
Naftali Bennett, another rival, stated that "Netanyahu bears personal and direct responsibility for the failure that led to the deaths of thousands of Israelis on his watch."
