UAE Denies Direct Warning Call to Netanyahu Before Oct. 7

The United Arab Emirates has officially rejected claims that UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan personally warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about an impending attack before October 7. An Emirati official, cited by a state-affiliated news outlet, stated that security and intelligence matters are handled through professional channels and authorized bodies, not direct leader-to-leader conversations. This clarification aims to distinguish between professional intelligence exchanges and high-level political discussions.

The controversy began with a report alleging that bin Zayed had spoken with Netanyahu about Hamas's plans approximately ten days before the October 7th attack. Netanyahu's office has denied this, stating that their internal checks found no record of such a call. Netanyahu has also threatened legal action against those who spread the claim.

Despite the denial of a direct call, other reports suggest that the UAE did convey a warning to Israel from a "highly credible" source about a significant Hamas operation. However, these reports do not confirm that the information was delivered personally by bin Zayed to Netanyahu. Sources close to the Abu Dhabi government have confirmed a warning was passed to Israel but did not specify the delivery method.

Former Israeli Minister Ron Dermer, who was involved in UAE-Israel relations, also stated that such a political call did not occur, as he would have been aware of it. While there is broad agreement that intelligence channels between the two countries were active, the specific claim of a direct warning call from the UAE president to the Israeli prime minister remains disputed.

The UAE's latest statement appears to be an effort to redirect the discussion to professional intelligence exchanges and distance their leadership from Israel's internal political debate. Since the Abraham Accords in 2020, Israel and the UAE have maintained extensive diplomatic, security, and economic ties, with communication channels remaining open even during regional tensions. Abu Dhabi has emphasized its policy of de-escalation and regional stability since October 7th.