Haaretz Report on UAE President's Hamas Warning to Netanyahu Denied

A political and media storm erupted following a front-page report in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, based on a new book by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval. The report claims that in late September 2023, about ten days before the Hamas attack, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for 45 minutes. During the call, bin Zayed allegedly warned Netanyahu explicitly that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning a "major earthquake" and a significant operation against Israel. The report further alleges that Netanyahu did not share this warning with the heads of the security establishment, the IDF, or the Shin Bet.

The publication triggered sharp reactions and sweeping denials. The Prime Minister's Office immediately stated the report was a "complete lie." Former Minister Ron Dermer, a confidant of Netanyahu, addressed the report at the MEAD conference in Washington, stating, "Did a conversation take place? No. All conversations between the Prime Minister and bin Zayed, I was privy to the details or on the line. This conversation did not happen, certainly not this content. It is a fabrication, simply an invented story." U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also tweeted, "For the record, this is a lie, a complete fabrication." President Isaac Herzog stated he was unaware of such a warning, while the UAE refrained from a sweeping denial, leaving the matter ambiguous.

The controversy quickly spread to media studios. Sports commentator and media personality Eli Ohana launched a fierce attack on Haaretz and the report's authors, demanding they provide answers and expressing hope for a lawsuit. "Both Shlomi Eldar and Haaretz will have to provide answers. I very much hope this will lead to a lawsuit in court, where Eldar will have to prove what he wrote, at a perfect time, a month and a half before the elections. Like all past affairs, this too will fade," Ohana said.