Israeli Opposition Demands Probe into UAE Warning to Netanyahu Before Oct. 7

Opposition leaders Avigdor Lieberman, Naftali Bennett, Gadi Eisenkot, and Yair Golan issued a joint statement on Tuesday, September 8, vowing to establish a state commission of inquiry into the events of October 7 once a new government is formed. They asserted that Israeli society deserves to know what transpired before, during, and after the Hamas attacks, and that the country's leadership must provide answers. The leaders directly questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asking, "What did you know and when did you know it?"

The statement was prompted by a journalistic investigation suggesting that approximately two weeks before the October 7 attack, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed warned Netanyahu about Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's intention to cause an "earthquake" in Israel. The opposition leaders deemed this information worthy of immediate and thorough investigation, arguing it corroborates other reports of Netanyahu's failures and inaction. They accused Netanyahu of hindering the formation of a state investigative commission and the release of full information, alleging he and his associates are spreading conspiracy theories and attempting to shift blame to security agencies.

According to the statement, this constitutes an abuse of public trust and a severe dereliction of the Prime Minister's duties. Bennett, Eisenkot, Lieberman, and Golan pledged to form the commission immediately after establishing the 38th government under their leadership. Its mandate would be to investigate the failures leading to the October 7 attacks, ascertain the truth, and recommend measures to prevent future catastrophes. They declared that Netanyahu and his government partners are unfit to continue in their roles and vowed to act responsibly to prevent further national disaster.

The report of the alleged UAE warning is detailed in the new book "Hostages: 843 Days of Inaction" by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval. The authors claim Netanyahu received a direct warning from Sinwar about the planned operation about 10 days before October 7. This adds to earlier reports, including one by Smadar Peri of "Yedioth Ahronoth," stating that Egypt also warned Netanyahu of an impending "terrible" attack days before October 7.

Eldar claims Sinwar contacted a Fatah representative to relay a message to the Israelis about a "big surprise" if Gaza did not receive concessions, using the Arabic word "zilzal" (earthquake). This message was reportedly passed through an acquaintance who advises the UAE president. Sinwar allegedly repeated the "earthquake" threat to ensure clarity. Eldar asserts that Ronen Bar, then head of the Shin Bet, received this information on September 15, 2023, and forwarded it to Netanyahu. Approximately 10 days later, UAE President bin Zayed reportedly contacted Netanyahu directly via a secure app to confirm the warning had been received. The 45-minute conversation, according to the investigation, saw Netanyahu attempting to reassure bin Zayed, suggesting potential issues might arise in Judea and Samaria rather than Gaza.

The investigative authors claim Netanyahu did not inform then-IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, or Mossad chief David Barnea of this conversation. The Prime Minister's Office vehemently denied the report, stating, "Absolute lie. Prime Minister Netanyahu did not speak with the President of the UAE during the specified period and did not receive any warnings from him." Both former Shin Bet head Ronen Bar and former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi also stated they were not informed of any warning from the UAE president.