President's Office Denies Herzog Received Hamas Warning Before Oct. 7

The President's Residence issued a strong denial following a Haaretz newspaper report alleging that UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed had warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about an impending Hamas attack before October 7. The President's Office clarified that conversations between President Isaac Herzog and the UAE president in the months preceding the attack "did not deal at all with security matters, Hamas, or Yahya Sinwar." It was further emphasized that Herzog "has no knowledge whatsoever of the existence of such a warning."

The Haaretz investigation, by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval, claimed that about a week and a half before the Hamas assault, bin Zayed spoke with Netanyahu for approximately 45 minutes, warning him that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning a significant move against Israel. The report suggested bin Zayed feared this would lead to bloodshed, destabilize the region, and harm the Abraham Accords.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has vehemently denied the conversation ever took place and has instructed his lawyers to file a defamation lawsuit against Haaretz and journalist Shlomi Eldar. The Prime Minister's Office also stated that a review of Netanyahu's call logs found no record of a conversation with bin Zayed during the relevant period.

The President's Office statement specifically addressed the connection made to Herzog, noting that his discussions with bin Zayed focused on social and internal Israeli matters and bilateral relations, not security issues. The office stressed that Herzog was unaware of any alleged security warning.