Netanyahu Sues Haaretz Newspaper Over 'Wicked Conspiracy' Report

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his lawyers to file a defamation lawsuit against the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, journalist Shlomi Eldar, and other parties. The lawsuit stems from a report alleging that Netanyahu received a warning from the President of the United Arab Emirates about the October 7th Hamas attack.

In a statement titled "Lies Made by Haaretz," Netanyahu vehemently denied the report, stating that an investigation by his office found no record of such a conversation. According to the statement, no call took place between Netanyahu and the UAE President from early September until October 7th. The Prime Minister's office, the National Security Council, and the Military Secretariat reportedly checked Netanyahu's call logs for the period and found no documentation of the alleged conversation.

The Prime Minister's office further explained that policy discussions between Netanyahu and the UAE President are typically conducted via a special encrypted device brought by an Emirati representative to the Prime Minister's office, and these calls are documented. Haaretz's report, as relayed by Eldar in an interview, suggested the warning call occurred through this method. However, Netanyahu's office stated that checks of entry logs to the Prime Minister's office did not show any entry by an Emirati representative during the relevant timeframe.

Netanyahu also addressed another claim attributed to Eldar, suggesting Egypt had warned him of a potential attack, calling it a claim already debunked early in the war. He sharply criticized the publication, labeling it a "wicked conspiracy with clear political timing" and part of a "left-wing election campaign."

In concluding remarks, Netanyahu shifted blame for the events preceding the October 7th attack, holding former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi responsible. He claimed they saw warning signs hours before the attack but failed to update him in time, suggesting that proper military and security preparations could have prevented the "terrible massacre."