New Delhi: UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed reportedly warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 10 days before Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack that
the militant group was preparing a major operation, according to a report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The warning allegedly identified then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and cautioned that an attack could trigger bloodshed, destabilise the region and threaten the Abraham Accords.
According to Haaretz, bin Zayed spoke with Netanyahu in a conversation in which he specifically raised Sinwar’s plans. Netanyahu reportedly responded calmly and assured the UAE leader that Israel was prepared for possible scenarios. He allegedly suggested that if an attack were to come, the greater threat was likely to originate from the occupied West Bank rather than Gaza.
Netanyahu denies receiving warning
Netanyahu’s office has strongly rejected the allegation, calling the report an ‘absolute lie’ and saying the Israeli prime minister did not speak with bin Zayed during the period in question and received no warning from the UAE. His office said that any relevant intelligence would have been communicated through intelligence channels.
The UAE has not explicitly confirmed the reported conversation. Its Foreign Ministry said that Israel and the UAE have maintained direct communication channels and that, when necessary, relevant intelligence has been exchanged between the two countries.
Why the claim is significant
The allegation adds to longstanding questions over Israel’s intelligence and political failures before October 7. Hamas killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages during the attack, which triggered Israel’s continuing war in Gaza and a wider regional conflict.
The report is particularly politically sensitive because Israel is due to hold national elections next month. Opposition figures have seized on the allegation to renew demands for an investigation into Netanyahu’s handling of warnings before the attack. Former military chief Gadi Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of ignoring multiple warnings, while former prime minister Naftali Bennett said Netanyahu bore ‘personal and direct responsibility’ for the failure.
Netanyahu has previously resisted calls for a government inquiry into the failures surrounding October 7. The new allegation is therefore likely to intensify the political battle over who was responsible for Israel’s failure to anticipate the Hamas assault.
