Likud Slams New York Times Report on Pre-Oct. 7 UAE Warning

The Likud party has sharply criticized The New York Times following a report alleging that the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, personally warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of an impending Hamas attack before October 7. This latest report comes despite previous denials from Emirati sources regarding any such direct warning to the Prime Minister.

The New York Times report, citing two anonymous sources, revives a claim initially published by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. According to the report, bin Zayed spoke with Netanyahu in late September 2023, cautioning him that Hamas was planning a significant offensive. However, the report also notes that the alleged warning did not specify whether Hamas was preparing for rocket fire or a ground infiltration.

The Prime Minister's Office had previously stated that Netanyahu did not receive such a warning from the UAE president and that security checks found no record of a relevant conversation. An Emirati official also denied that any intelligence or warning was conveyed directly between the two leaders.

Despite these denials, The New York Times published its follow-up report, which also mentioned that Netanyahu did not reference any such warning in a security discussion on October 1, six days before the Hamas attack. During that meeting, Netanyahu reportedly emphasized maintaining quiet in Gaza and expressed concern that a significant military operation could jeopardize normalization talks with Saudi Arabia.

In response, the Likud party accused the newspaper of "spreading lies" and being "anti-Zionist." They stated, "Despite the denials from the UAE, and despite it being proven by the Prime Minister's Office that no such conversation took place, they continue to spread the lie." The party also criticized the Times for publishing "blood libels" and Hamas's claims of genocide in Gaza, asserting that the public no longer believes these narratives.