Netanyahu Denies Receiving Hamas Attack Warning from UAE President

The Prime Minister's Office officially denied reports published by the Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" alleging that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a warning call from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan days before the October 7th Hamas attacks. The Prime Minister's Office stated that if any relevant information existed, it would have been transferred through intelligence channels between the two countries. The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement that did not explicitly deny the report, saying, "The UAE does not comment on media stories or speculation regarding conversations between leaders." The ministry added that "government bodies of the United Arab Emirates and Israel have maintained open and direct communication channels since the establishment of relations more than five years ago. When necessary, all relevant intelligence has been and continues to be transferred between the relevant bodies."

According to Israeli media outlet Kan News, Netanyahu sought a denial from the UAE, but the UAE Foreign Ministry's unusual statement did not contain an explicit refutation. Sources told Kan News that Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed himself mentioned the call to several senior figures, and some senior Israeli officials were surprised by the reported conversation, only learning of it after the "Haaretz" report. The report suggests that these calls between the UAE leader and the Prime Minister are conducted with extreme secrecy, with an Emirati envoy bringing a dedicated phone to Netanyahu for the conversation. Kan News reported that they sought comment from the Prime Minister's Office regarding any records of such a call but received no response. The Prime Minister's Office officially denied the details of the conversation on Tuesday evening.

Kan News also reported that the UAE is highly sensitive to any publication concerning its president, especially one that portrays him as attempting to help Israel defend itself against the Hamas attack. An Emirati parliamentary source told Kan News, "This is a sensitive issue. No one in the Emirates is talking about it." The report speculates that former Fatah official Mohammed Dahlan, who is supported by the UAE and resides in Abu Dhabi, may have been the intermediary or the source of the information, as he is mentioned as the Palestinian advisor in the "Haaretz" investigation. The report also notes that even if such a call occurred, it might not have constituted an explicit warning but rather a piece of information that should have alerted both political and security echelons in Israel.