Full Breakdown
Alleged UAE Warning to Netanyahu Before the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas Attack
9/9/2026, 1:24:55 PM
Core Event
A new investigation reported on September 8, 2026, claims UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about ten days before the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas assault and warned that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was preparing a “major operation.” The 45-minute conversation was described as calm, with Netanyahu assuring the Emirati leader that Israel was prepared and that any attack was more likely to come from the West Bank. Netanyahu’s office has denied that any such call occurred.
Background & Context
The allegation appears in the forthcoming book *Hostages: 843 Days of Abandonment* by Haaretz journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval, which draws on Israeli and foreign sources, recordings, and documents. Earlier intelligence briefings cited in the investigation include a September 15 warning from Sinwar to a Palestinian intermediary, described as an “earthquake,” which was passed to Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel is also reported to have warned Netanyahu of a “terrifying operation” in the same period.
Data & Statistics
- Hamas militants killed more than 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages on Oct. 7, 2023.
- Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza has resulted in over 73,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, whose figures the United Nations deems reliable.
- The Israeli election for the 120-seat Knesset is scheduled for October 27, 2026.
Official Statements & Responses
- The UAE Foreign Ministry declined comment on the specific allegation but said, “When necessary, all relevant intelligence has been and continue to be communicated between the relevant entities.”
- Four opposition leaders—Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Golan—issued a joint statement demanding an “immediate and thorough investigation” into Netanyahu’s “failures and malfunctioning,” asking the public to know what Netanyahu knew, when, and why he did not inform the security establishment.
Criticism & Opposition
“Netanyahu received dozens of warnings for 7 October and ignored them all. He is unfit,” — Gadi Eisenkot, former military chief
“Netanyahu bears personal and direct responsibility for the failure that led to the deaths of thousands of Israelis on his watch,” — Naftali Bennett, former prime minister
Government spokesperson Eylon Levy called the situation a “basic strategic failure,” questioning why Netanyahu would not have passed on a credible warning.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Haaretz, supported by the book’s sources, asserts the call took place and that Netanyahu reacted calmly.
- Netanyahu’s office, the UAE Foreign Ministry, and several news outlets report no such conversation is documented; the PMO cites call-log and entry-record checks showing no Emirati representative entered the office.
- Some Israeli officials, including former Shin Bet chief Bar and former IDF chief Herzi Halevi, say they were not briefed on the alleged warning, suggesting an information gap within the security establishment.
- The United States administration has stated it was not aware of any specific UAE warning.
Why It Matters
The allegation has become a focal point of the upcoming election campaign, with opponents using it to question Netanyahu’s competence and accountability. If the warning existed and was not relayed to security chiefs, it could reshape narratives about the preventability of the Oct. 7 disaster. The denial and potential libel suit underscore the high-stakes political environment surrounding the investigation of intelligence failures.
