Businessman Roni Mana Slams Journalist Amit Segal Over Hamas Warning Report

Businessman Roni Mana, a vocal critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has sharply criticized journalist Amit Segal on his X account. Mana's comments came in response to a Haaretz newspaper investigation by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval. The investigation alleged that the President of the United Arab Emirates had warned the Prime Minister about Yahya Sinwar's plans for an "earthquake" a week and a half before the October 7th Hamas attack.

The Haaretz report also mentioned that President Isaac Herzog, who has close ties with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was reportedly aware of the senior Emirati official's concerns in the months leading up to the war. However, the President's Residence issued a firm denial, stating that Herzog's conversations with bin Zayed focused on social issues and bilateral relations, not security matters, Hamas, or Sinwar. The President's office also asserted that Herzog had no knowledge of the alleged warning and did not recognize it.

Both the Prime Minister's Office and the President's Residence have denied the Haaretz report's findings. The Prime Minister's Office called the claims "an absolute lie" and announced its intention to file a defamation lawsuit against the newspaper. Mana specifically attacked Segal for presenting the reactions of various figures, including President Herzog, to the Haaretz investigation.

Mana accused Netanyahu of knowing about the warning and deliberately withholding information about hostages to maintain power, suggesting that "everyone is a Qatar agent." He questioned why Channel 12 would broadcast what he called Segal's "nonsense," implying Segal is acting out of self-interest and fear of Netanyahu losing power. Mana stated, "Amit Segal knows that if Bibi goes home, he is worth nothing. He is fighting for his life like all the mouthpieces."

In his own coverage, Segal had presented denials from various sources, including President Herzog and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who reportedly called details concerning him "complete fake." Segal also cited Israeli and Western sources at a MEAD conference who were unaware of the alleged events, suggesting that such information would have been reported to intelligence agencies like the Mossad and the CIA if it were true.