Israel’s Netanyahu to sue newspaper over claim UAE warned him of 7 October attack
By Katy Watson
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his lawyers to begin defamation proceedings against the Israeli newspaper Haaretz over reports claiming the leader of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) warned him about an impending Hamas attack.
According to excerpts from a book, Hostages: 843 Days of Abandonment, by Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval, published in Haaretz, UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had a phone conversation with Netanyahu in September 2023. The report states that during this call, bin Zayed warned Netanyahu that the then-Hamas chief in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, was planning a significant operation.
Netanyahu’s office has denied the report, stating, "No warning was given to the prime minister from the United Arab Emirates before 7 October," and calling it part of a "sinister plot." Haaretz, known for its critical stance towards Netanyahu, has defended its reporting, claiming its "sole purpose is to silence journalistic criticism."
This development comes amidst Israel’s general election campaign, with polls indicating the election on 27 October will be a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership. On 7 October 2023, Hamas-led gunmen breached the Gaza border and launched attacks on Israeli communities, military bases, and a music festival, resulting in the deaths of about 1,200 people. Israel responded with a military campaign in Gaza, leading to the deaths of at least 73,670 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
The report, published on Tuesday, relies on three "foreign senior sources" and a Palestinian advisor to bin Zayed. It describes how a representative from the UAE embassy visited Netanyahu’s office in the final days of September 2023, using a special phone to ensure confidentiality. According to Haaretz, bin Zayed expressed concern about a potential "earthquake" operation by Sinwar, which would lead to bloodshed and regional instability.
Netanyahu, however, responded calmly, according to the report, stating that he believed Hamas’s intentions were to operate in the West Bank. He assured bin Zayed that Israel was prepared for any scenario.
