UAE President Warned Netanyahu of Escalation Risk Before Oct. 7

The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the risk of sharp escalation in the Palestinian arena shortly before the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. This information was reported by Kan-11.

According to the Israeli broadcaster, the UAE leader later discussed this conversation with several high-ranking Israeli and U.S. officials. New details emerged following a meeting between bin Zayed and then-CIA Director William Burns, which took place several months after the October 7 attack. During this meeting, the UAE president reportedly informed the head of American intelligence that he had conveyed a "general" warning to Netanyahu about the possibility of an outbreak of violence prior to the attack.

The report clarifies that this was not a specific warning about the impending Hamas assault, but rather a broader signal concerning the risk of escalation in the Palestinian territories. The exact date of the conversation between bin Zayed and Netanyahu remains unknown, and Kan-11 has not been able to establish when precisely it occurred. Consequently, the timeframe between the UAE leader's warning and the events of October 7 is also unclear.

Furthermore, it is uncertain whether this refers to the same conversation mentioned in a book by journalists Eldar and Yovel, or if the leaders of Israel and the UAE had separate discussions on the situation.