Netanyahu Accuses "Haaretz" of Defamation Over UAE Warning Report

The Likud party is demanding a criminal investigation into journalists and political figures following a "Haaretz" newspaper report alleging that the UAE warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about an impending Hamas attack ten days before the October 7th massacre. The party claims this constitutes foreign interference in Israeli elections.

"Haaretz" reported that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed allegedly cautioned Netanyahu about Yahya Sinwar's plans for a significant operation. However, Netanyahu vehemently denies any such conversation occurred, stating that checks of his office's logs, the National Security Council, and the Military Secretary's office found no record of the warning. He has announced his intention to pursue legal action against "Haaretz" and those involved in the publication.

President Isaac Herzog also denied any knowledge of such a warning. The President's office stated that his conversations with bin Zayed in the months preceding October 7th did not concern security matters, Hamas, or Sinwar, and that Herzog was unaware of the alleged alert. Reports from the US also indicate that Biden administration officials were not aware of a specific warning from the UAE regarding a large-scale Hamas attack.

The Likud party has raised questions about potential connections between Israeli political figures and entities in the UAE, pointing to a previously unannounced visit by Yair Golan to Abu Dhabi in June, where he held political meetings. The party also alleges that Palestinian official Mohamed Dahlan, residing in the UAE, is behind the move, and claims financial ties between journalist Shlomi Eldar and political actors. These allegations have not yet been substantiated with public evidence.

Despite the denials and lack of evidence, the Likud insists on a thorough investigation into all connections and individuals involved to determine if there was an attempt to influence the elections through false information or foreign actors.