Biden Administration Denies Knowledge of UAE Warning Before Oct. 7 Attack

Two sources familiar with the matter told i24NEWS that the Biden administration was unaware of any specific warning from the United Arab Emirates prior to the October 7th Hamas attacks, indicating they had not heard of such a specific warning from Emirati officials either before or after the attacks. The sources emphasized that the administration's lack of knowledge does not preclude the possibility that such a warning was conveyed to Israeli officials.

These statements follow a report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which claimed that approximately a week and a half before October 7th, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning a "major move" against Israel. According to the Haaretz investigation, bin Zayed initiated an unusual 45-minute call with Netanyahu in late September 2023, expressing fears that the event would lead to bloodshed, destabilize the region, and jeopardize the Abraham Accords. The report also alleged that then-CIA Director Bill Burns was informed by bin Zayed that he had attempted to convey a message to Netanyahu that "something is about to explode."

Despite these claims, the Biden administration, according to the same sources, has no record of such a concrete warning. The article also notes that American and Israeli officials had previously warned the UAE that Israeli actions and statements were "endangering regional stability." In March 2023, i24NEWS reported that Emirati businessman Khaldoun Al Mubarak conveyed a message to senior Israeli officials that the government's direction was contrary to the Abraham Accords and that certain politicians were encouraging violence, threatening regional stability.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that since October 7th, the UAE's involvement has consistently aimed at de-escalation, regional stability, and preventing violence. The ministry added that "entities in the UAE and Israel have maintained open and direct lines of communication since the establishment of relations more than five years ago. When necessary, all relevant intelligence information has been and continues to be transferred between the relevant parties."

Prime Minister Netanyahu has instructed his lawyers to file a defamation lawsuit against Haaretz, asserting that "from the beginning of September until October 7, no call took place between the Prime Minister and the President of the United Arab Emirates."