Reports emerge of UAE warning Netanyahu before October 7 attack

A recent investigative report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, supported by details from the forthcoming book 'Kidnapped: 843 Days of Abandonment' by Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval, claims that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed personally warned Benjamin Netanyahu of an impending major operation by Hamas approximately ten days before the October 7, 2023, attack. The report, citing three high-ranking foreign sources, states that the two leaders held a 45-minute phone conversation. According to the investigation, Netanyahu allegedly failed to share this intelligence with security agency heads, reportedly downplaying the threat by assuming Hamas intended to focus on the West Bank.

Benjamin Netanyahu's office has categorically denied these allegations, dismissing the report as an 'absolute lie' and asserting that no such communication occurred during the final week of September 2023. The publication of these claims has triggered intense criticism from the Israeli opposition as the country approaches the general elections scheduled for October 27, 2026. The political controversy centers on whether the Prime Minister suppressed intelligence warnings, a claim the government insists is entirely fabricated.