Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has initiated defamation proceedings against the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, disputing its report that the leader of the United Arab Emirates warned him of an impending Hamas operation just days before the October 7, 2023 attacks.
According to extracts published by Haaretz, UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke with Netanyahu by phone in September 2023. The report claims Netanyahu was informed that Yahya Sinwar, then the Hamas chief in Gaza, was planning a major operation.
Netanyahu's office has categorically denied the report, stating, "no warning was given to the prime minister from the United Arab Emirates before 7 October." The office characterized the report as part of a "sinister plot."
Haaretz, a publication historically critical of the prime minister, has maintained the accuracy of its reporting and characterized Netanyahu's planned lawsuit as an attempt "to silence journalistic criticism."
The report and Netanyahu's strong denials come as Israel's general election campaign intensifies. The upcoming October 27 polls are widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas-led militants breached the Gaza border, attacking Israeli communities, military bases, and a music festival. Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 251 were taken hostage to Gaza. Israel subsequently launched a military campaign in Gaza, which the Hamas-run health ministry reports has resulted in at least 73,670 deaths, figures recognized as reliable by the United Nations.
Netanyahu has faced accusations of not acting swiftly enough following the October 7 attacks and has resisted calls for an independent public inquiry. This latest report is expected to further fuel scrutiny from his critics.
The Haaretz report, published recently, cited three senior foreign sources and a Palestinian advisor to Sheikh Mohammed. It detailed an alleged September 2023 meeting where a UAE embassy representative presented Netanyahu's office with a secure phone for a confidential conversation. During this call, Sheikh Mohammed reportedly conveyed a warning that Sinwar was preparing a major operation, described as an "earthquake," and expressed concern it could destabilize the region.
Haaretz stated its report was based on extensive research from dozens of sources, documents, and correspondence for a book titled "Hostages: 843 Days of Abandonment" by Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval. The newspaper reported that Netanyahu reacted with relative calm during the alleged call, assessing that Hamas intended to operate in the West Bank and reassuring bin Zayed that Israel was prepared.
The report also claimed that the Emirati leader shared the conversation with then-CIA Director William J. Burns and that Netanyahu did not brief the heads of Israel's Shin Bet domestic security agency, Mossad intelligence agency, or the Israeli army's chief of staff about the discussion.
The report's publication coincided with the UK's announcement of sanctions on illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move that angered the Israeli government. However, the Haaretz story led the news cycle within Israel as the country approached elections.
Netanyahu's Likud Party accused Haaretz of "blatant foreign interference in Israel's elections," with the prime minister himself stating on X that the story had "clear political timing, as part of the left's election campaign."
Lawyers representing Haaretz responded to Netanyahu's legal plans, asserting they would not be deterred and that the report was the result of "in-depth journalistic investigations and is based on sources pertaining to an issue of paramount public importance."
The UAE has not directly addressed the specific conversation but did not deny it. A statement from the UAE's ministry of foreign affairs emphasized that since the Hamas attack, the country has worked towards de-escalation, regional stability, and preventing violence. It added, "When necessary, all relevant intelligence has been and continues to be communicated between the relevant entities."
Four of Israel's main opposition leaders jointly called for an investigation into the matter, stating that Netanyahu and his government were "unfit to continue in office."