Netanyahu Sues Haaretz Over Alleged UAE Warning Before Oct. 7

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his lawyers to take legal action against the newspaper Haaretz, journalist Shlomi Eldar, and others, accusing them of publishing falsehoods regarding a supposed phone call with the UAE president before the October 7th Hamas attacks. Netanyahu stated that the Prime Minister's Office, the National Security Council, and the Military Secretariat reviewed phone records from September to October 2023 and found no such call with the UAE president.

The controversy stems from a Haaretz report claiming that UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed spoke with Netanyahu for approximately 45 minutes, warning him of an imminent, large-scale attack planned by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. According to the report, the UAE president expressed concerns about potential casualties, regional destabilization, and the impact on the Abraham Accords. He reportedly urged Netanyahu to prepare for the threat and suggested economic measures for Gaza and de-escalation in the West Bank.

The Haaretz report further alleged that Netanyahu informed the UAE president that Israel was prepared for all scenarios but did not relay the specific warning to security chiefs. Netanyahu's office immediately denied the report upon its publication, calling it a lie. However, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett confirmed the report's accuracy, holding Netanyahu personally responsible. Gadi Eisenkot, another former official, deemed Netanyahu unfit to continue in office and pledged to form an investigative committee into the failures preceding the October 7th attack.

No official response has yet been issued by the United Arab Emirates regarding the Haaretz report or the accusations surrounding the alleged phone call.