Israel Assures UAE of Continued Security Ties Amidst October 7 Warning Reports

Senior Israeli military officials are working to reassure the United Arab Emirates that strategic security relations between the two nations will continue as usual, according to Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11. This effort comes in the wake of a Haaretz newspaper investigation that revealed UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed had warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about an impending major threat from Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar approximately 10 days before the October 7th attacks. The report, citing three high-level foreign sources privy to the conversation, stated that bin Zayed expressed concern over a "great earthquake" planned by Sinwar that could destabilize the region and harm the Abraham Accords. Despite UAE concerns about potential political implications ahead of Israeli elections, the report indicated that bilateral relations are being closely maintained. The investigation also revealed that the UAE's warning was not the sole intelligence received, as a separate message was conveyed to the Shin Bet security agency on September 15, 2023, regarding Sinwar's threat. The then-head of the Shin Bet reportedly requested an immediate call to Netanyahu, followed by a security meeting. However, Netanyahu has repeatedly denied the reported conversation with bin Zayed, calling the report a "false fabrication" and stating that his office's records show no such meeting occurred during the specified period.