Full Breakdown
Alleged UAE Warning to Netanyahu Before Oct. 7 Hamas Attack Sparks Legal Battles and Political Fallout
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
A report by *Haaretz* alleges that United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in late September 2023 that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning a “major operation” against Israel. Netanyahu’s office denied the warning, calling the story “completely fabricated” and announcing a defamation lawsuit against *Haaretz* and its journalists.
Background & Context
Mediators had warned for years that Sinwar might launch a large-scale kidnapping operation if a hostage deal stalled. Colonel (res.) Doron Hadar, involved in pre-Oct. 7 talks, said the *Haaretz* investigation links the warning to a 45-minute call between bin Zayed and Netanyahu.
Timeline
- Late September 2023 – *Haaretz* reports a confidential 45-minute call in which bin Zayed warns of Sinwar’s planned “earthquake.”
- Oct. 7 – Hamas launches a coordinated assault, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
- Oct. 27 – Israeli parliamentary election scheduled; Netanyahu leads the Likud Party.
- Sept. 10 2026 – Netanyahu publicly denies any contact with the UAE president; the UAE foreign ministry declines comment.
Criticism & Opposition
Former military commander Gadi Eisenkot, former prime minister Naftali Bennett, and opposition leader Yair Golan have demanded an independent inquiry, calling Netanyahu “unfit to continue in office.” Bennett said Netanyahu “bears personal and direct responsibility” for the deaths. Golan described the allegations as a “failure of leadership.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “Either he didn’t believe it, or, it’s horrible to say, he wanted to see what they could plan so that he could come down hard and enhance his position.” — Hillary Clinton
- “Netanyahu and his partners in the 7 October government are unfit to continue in office,” — Gadi Eisenkot
- “Netanyahu received dozens of warnings for October 7 and ignored them all. He is unfit.” — Naftali Bennett
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- *Haaretz* cites senior foreign sources and a Palestinian adviser to bin Zayed confirming the warning; an unnamed Emirati source later corroborated the claim to *The Times of Israel*.
- Netanyahu’s office disputes any call, citing call-record reviews that show no Emirati contact.
- The UAE foreign ministry neither confirms nor denies the specific conversation, only affirming ongoing intelligence exchanges.
Why It Matters
The dispute arises amid Israel’s Oct. 27 election, making the alleged warning a focal point for criticism of Netanyahu’s handling of intelligence. The lawsuit against *Haaretz* also raises questions about press freedom and the influence of foreign intelligence on domestic security decisions.