Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied a report that he received a warning from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan about an impending Hamas attack days before the October 7, 2023 massacre. The denial follows a Haaretz investigation, published Tuesday, which cited an upcoming book by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval alleging that Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s Gaza leader, instructed the UAE to relay a message to Netanyahu about a planned major operation.
Opposition leaders, including former Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, have confirmed the report’s authenticity and accused Netanyahu of ignoring critical warnings. The allegations have intensified political pressure on Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s upcoming elections, with opposition figures calling for an immediate state-led inquiry into the government’s preparedness for the attack.
Immediate Action & Core Facts
1. Netanyahu’s Denial of UAE Warning
The Prime Minister’s Office stated in a response that the Haaretz report was an “absolute lie”, asserting that Netanyahu did not speak with the UAE president in the days preceding the October 7 attack and did not receive any warning. The denial directly contradicts the Haaretz investigation, which claims the two leaders held a 45-minute phone call approximately ten days before the massacre, during which bin Zayed warned of Sinwar’s intentions.
2. Opposition Leaders Confirm Warning and Demand Accountability
Four opposition leaders—Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Liberman, and Yair Golan—issued a joint statement calling for a state-led commission of inquiry to investigate the failures leading to the October 7 attack. The statement described the Haaretz report as a “shocking revelation” and accused Netanyahu of failing to act on multiple warnings, including those from Egyptian officials, Israeli security chiefs, and the UAE.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett affirmed the report’s accuracy in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “The report this morning stating that Netanyahu was warned ten days before the October 7 massacre about Sinwar’s intentions—true.” Bennett added that Netanyahu did not warn the heads of the security establishment, did not prepare Israel for the attack, and did not convene the cabinet despite the warnings.
Deeper Dive & Context
The Haaretz Investigation: What It Claims
The Haaretz report, based on findings from the upcoming book “Kidnapped: 843 Days of Abandonment”, alleges that:
- Yahya Sinwar conveyed a message to both the UAE and Israel through a Palestinian mediator in mid-September 2023, warning of an upcoming “earthquake.”
- UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed relayed this message to Netanyahu in a 45-minute call held ten days before October 7, describing Sinwar’s plans as a major operation that could cause bloodshed and destabilize the region.
- Netanyahu, according to the report, reassured bin Zayed that Hamas was primarily focused on the West Bank and that Israel was prepared for any scenario.
Opposition Accusations and Calls for Investigation
The opposition leaders’ statement framed the alleged warning as evidence of Netanyahu’s negligence, stating:
- “What did you know, when did you know, why didn’t you update the security establishment, and why didn’t you act to protect the citizens of Israel?”
- Yair Lapid, another former prime minister, claimed he had publicly warned Netanyahu of an impending Hamas attack three weeks before October 7, alongside warnings from Egyptian officials, the IDF Chief of Staff, the head of Shin Bet, and Military Intelligence.
- Lapid asserted that if Netanyahu had acted on the warnings, the massacre could have been prevented.
Former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot added that the report “added to mounting evidence” of Netanyahu’s responsibility for the failures preceding the attack, stating: “More and more signs indicate: Netanyahu led Israel blindly into the October 7 failure.”
Netanyahu’s Defense and Political Fallout
Netanyahu’s office has rejected the Haaretz report in its entirety, calling it false. However, the allegations have dominated political discourse ahead of Israel’s elections, with opposition figures framing the incident as evidence of a systemic failure in leadership.
Bennett, in particular, has directly tied the alleged inaction to Netanyahu’s long-standing policy toward Hamas, stating: “Netanyahu bears direct responsibility for this disaster… He built up Hamas for 15 years and did nothing.”
The opposition leaders have vowed to prioritize the establishment of a state-led commission of inquiry if they form the next government, framing it as a necessary step to prevent future disasters. The political fallout has intensified scrutiny of Netanyahu’s decision-making in the lead-up to October 7, with critics arguing that multiple warnings were ignored at a catastrophic cost.