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. The sources suggest bin Zayed spoke with Netanyahu in late September 2023, cautioning him about a significant Hamas offensive, though the alleged warning did not specify the nature of the attack, such as rocket fire or ground infiltration.

The Prime Minister's Office had previously stated that Netanyahu did not receive such a warning and that security checks found no record of a relevant conversation between the two leaders. An Emirati official also dismissed the claim of direct intelligence or warning transfer between the leaders.

Despite these denials, The New York Times's new report focuses on the existence of the alleged conversation. It also noted that Netanyahu did not mention this supposed warning in a security discussion on October 1, six days before the attack, and instead emphasized maintaining quiet in Gaza, fearing 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." The party stated, "As we approach the elections, we are seeing a flood of false publications by conscripted left-wing journalists, with the aim of toppling the right and installing a Muslim Brotherhood left-wing government that will surrender on all fronts." The Likud further asserted that the public is wise and no longer believes such falsehoods, referencing past controversial reporting by the Times.