NYT Reports Netanyahu Ignored UAE Warning of Hamas Attack Before Oct. 7

The New York Times has published a report, citing several sources familiar with the matter, corroborating claims that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ) warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a significant Hamas attack shortly before October 7. According to the report, two individuals who spoke with MBZ or were briefed on the conversation confirmed its occurrence and the nature of the warning. Netanyahu has vehemently denied that such a conversation took place. The UAE has declined to issue a clear denial of the initial report, lending further weight to the Times' findings, which include contributions from Yediot Ahronot journalist Ronen Bergman.

Furthermore, the Times report, based on accounts from five former senior Israeli officials, alleges that Netanyahu did not relay MBZ's warning to his security chiefs. The newspaper obtained a protocol of a security discussion Netanyahu convened on October 1, 2023, six days before the Hamas attack, where the UAE president's warning was not mentioned. Instead, Netanyahu reportedly emphasized maintaining quiet in Gaza and opposed proposals from some officials to target senior Hamas figures, citing their responsibility for terror attacks in the West Bank at the time. He also expressed concern that military action in Gaza could jeopardize his efforts to secure a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia.

The Times report places the call between Netanyahu and MBZ in late September, with MBZ reportedly initiating the call to convey intelligence about Hamas's planned offensive. While the exact nature of the planned attack, whether rocket fire or a ground invasion, was not specified, the information was based on sources who spoke with individuals present during the call. The report also notes that MBZ later mentioned this September 2023 call with Netanyahu to then-CIA Director William Burns, stating that he had discussed a "real and imminent threat of violence" from Hamas in the West Bank or Gaza.

According to the former Israeli officials cited by the Times, neither the call with MBZ nor the warning it contained are mentioned in the IDF's internal investigations into the October 7 failures. The report acknowledges that Netanyahu was not alone in overlooking pre-attack warnings, with some Israeli security leadership also dismissing the severity of the invasion threat. The Times highlighted numerous warning signs, including Hamas's "Jericho Wall" invasion plan, obtained in 2022 but initially deemed unrealistic by the IDF, which was ultimately executed on October 7.

Separately, Palestinian politician Dr. Sufian Abu Zaida, a former Fatah and PLO official and ex-minister for prisoner affairs, revealed he was the source known as "Charcoal Eyes." He claimed to have conveyed a warning in mid-September from Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar about an impending attack. Abu Zaida stated that Sinwar dictated a message to him during a meeting, which he then wrote down and passed to Israel in Hebrew and Arabic. A revealed note from this message stated, "Before the end of September, let's put the cards on the table. An earthquake will occur regarding the negotiation issue, and they (the Israelis) must prepare for the emptying of prisons."