UAE President Warned Netanyahu of Hamas Attack Before Oct. 7, Report Claims

The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of an impending Hamas attack several days before October 7, according to a report by Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval published in Haaretz. The report states that bin Zayed conveyed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's intentions to launch a "terrifying operation" and a "surprise from the land of surprises," using the word "earthquake" repeatedly. Despite a 45-minute conversation, Netanyahu reportedly reassured the UAE president, stating that Hamas's focus was primarily on the West Bank and that Israel was prepared for any scenario. Crucially, the report alleges that this intelligence, including a message from Sinwar relayed through a mediator, was not shared with top Israeli security officials, including the heads of the Shin Bet and Mossad, or the Chief of Staff.

In response to the report, Prime Minister Netanyahu's office issued a statement calling the claims "an absolute lie," asserting that Netanyahu did not speak with the UAE president during the relevant period and received no such warning. However, former Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, along with other political figures like Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Golan, have publicly stated their belief in the report's veracity, citing their own knowledge of prior warnings received by Netanyahu from various sources, including Egyptian intelligence. They have accused Netanyahu of ignoring these warnings due to his "containment" policy towards Hamas and have called for a state commission of inquiry into the events leading up to the October 7th massacre.