Netanyahu Demands $270,000 from Haaretz Over Pre-Oct. 7 Warning Report

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sent a letter of demand to the newspaper Haaretz, seeking an apology and NIS 1 million (approximately $270,000) in compensation. The letter, issued by his lawyer Uriel Nicai, threatens legal action over a September 8th article alleging Netanyahu received a warning about Hamas's intentions a week and a half before the October 7th attacks. The article, co-authored by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruti Yuval, claimed Netanyahu was informed of Hamas's plans by the President of the UAE in a 45-minute phone call and did not update security officials. Netanyahu's legal team vehemently denies this, calling the report "an absolute lie" with "no basis in reality." They assert that Netanyahu received no such warning from the UAE or Egypt.

The Prime Minister's lawyers argue the publication was malicious, intended to harm him, and particularly damaging during an election period, constituting an "attack on the purity of elections" and exceeding legitimate press freedom. They claim the report has caused and could cause significant reputational damage, providing grounds for a defamation lawsuit under Israel's libel law, as well as other civil claims.

Haaretz and the reporters were given 72 hours to comply with several demands. These include removing the article from all digital platforms, publishing a prominent public apology and denial in both the print edition and on the website, with the wording pre-approved by Netanyahu's lawyers. The NIS 1 million is presented as a settlement for initial damages. If these demands are not met within the timeframe, Netanyahu's legal team warns they will file a civil lawsuit seeking over NIS 2.5 million (approximately $675,000) in damages. They also stated that after reviewing potential defenses under libel law, none were found applicable to this publication.