Israeli Journalist Questions Netanyahu's Lawsuit Against Haaretz

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's legal action against the newspaper Haaretz, following a report alleging he ignored a warning from the UAE days before October 7th, has sparked debate within the media.

Netanyahu's office vehemently denied the report, stating that thorough checks of call logs by the National Security Council and the Military Secretariat found no record of a conversation with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed during the relevant period. Consequently, a lawsuit was filed against Haaretz.

However, Yaron Avraham, a journalist and commentator for Channel 12 News, publicly criticized the Prime Minister's office's response, questioning the necessity of an extensive internal review. Avraham wondered why a review of records or visitor logs would be needed if the Prime Minister was certain the report was false. He suggested that focusing on procedural checks indicated a defensive struggle to explain the situation, stating, "To me, it sounds like the Prime Minister is clinging to procedure."

Avraham expressed confidence in the journalists behind the Haaretz report, Shlomi Elad and Ruth Yuval, believing their investigation to be solid. He predicted that Netanyahu filed the lawsuit due to election season pressures but anticipates the Prime Minister will eventually withdraw it.