Netanyahu Faces Fresh Political Pressure Over Report of Pre-Oct. 7 Warning

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing renewed political pressure after the newspaper Haaretz reported that he was warned weeks before the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that the militant group was preparing a major operation against Israel. The New York Times said it could not independently confirm the report.

According to Haaretz, Netanyahu had a roughly 45-minute phone conversation with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in late September 2023. The Emirati president allegedly warned Netanyahu that Hamas was planning a major attack and seeking to destabilize the region.

Haaretz reported that Netanyahu appeared unfazed by the warning and said Israel was prepared for any scenario. The report also raised questions about whether Netanyahu passed the information to senior Israeli security officials.

Netanyahu's office strongly denied the allegations. It said no warning had been personally given to the prime minister by the UAE. If relevant intelligence had been shared, the office said, it was transmitted through intelligence channels between the two countries.

Netanyahu also rejected the Haaretz report as a “wicked fabrication” and said he planned to sue the newspaper for libel. He said security officials had found no record of a conversation between him and Sheikh Mohamed during the period between September 2023 and the Oct. 7 attack.

The UAE Foreign Ministry declined to comment directly on reports about conversations between government leaders. It said, however, that the UAE and Israel maintain open and direct lines of communication and that “all relevant intelligence” had been passed between them.

The allegations have intensified criticism from Netanyahu's political opponents. Four opposition parties jointly called for an independent commission of inquiry into the events surrounding the Oct. 7 attack, arguing that a series of revelations had undermined confidence in Netanyahu's leadership.

The issue is particularly sensitive ahead of Israel's expected national election in late October. Netanyahu has portrayed himself as the politician best positioned to protect Israel's security, while opponents accuse him of failing to prevent the country's deadliest attack.

The Oct. 7 assault killed about 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in roughly 250 people being taken hostage to Gaza. Israel subsequently launched a military campaign in Gaza that has caused extensive destruction, displacement and tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza health officials.