Netanyahu Lawyer Denies UAE President Warning Report

Uriel Huri Nazri, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's lawyer, vehemently denied a report published by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, stating it was "a lie" that the UAE President, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, had warned Netanyahu about an impending attack by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in late September 2023. Nazri asserted on the i24NEWS program "7 with Sharon Gal" that no such conversation took place and accused the newspaper of spreading conspiracies.

Haaretz had reported that bin Zayed explicitly cautioned Netanyahu about Sinwar's intentions to harm Israel and urged the Prime Minister to take the threat seriously. According to the report, Netanyahu reacted with relative calmness to the information, and the Prime Minister did not update security officials. The Prime Minister's office initially issued a statement to Haaretz calling the report a "complete lie," stating Netanyahu did not speak with the UAE President during the period in question or receive any warning. They later clarified that any relevant information would have been transferred through intelligence channels between the two countries.

The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment on media stories or speculation regarding conversations between leaders. They reiterated the UAE's consistent efforts since October 7 to de-escalate tensions, promote regional stability, and prevent violence, emphasizing that open communication channels have been maintained between UAE and Israeli government officials since the normalization of relations over five years ago.

Following the report, Netanyahu demanded Haaretz retract the article, issue an apology, and pay NIS 1 million within 72 hours, or face a lawsuit exceeding NIS 2.5 million. Nazri indicated that negotiations with the newspaper have ceased since the legal notice was sent.