Netanyahu Asked UAE President to Deny Warning Before Oct. 7 Attack

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly asked UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to deny that he had personally warned Netanyahu about a potential Hamas attack before October 7. The request was made during a secret meeting between the two leaders in the United Arab Emirates, which was first revealed by Israel's Channel 12 News. The meeting, which lasted about four hours, was reportedly focused on a Haaretz newspaper report from earlier in September. That report claimed bin Zayed had personally warned Netanyahu of Hamas's intentions to launch a significant attack.

According to a source familiar with the details who spoke to the Associated Press (AP), Netanyahu asked bin Zayed to deny the Haaretz report. The source claimed to have first-hand information about the meeting's content. Netanyahu's office did not respond to AP's request for comment. Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu traveled to the UAE on a private jet and that much of the discussion was held privately between the two leaders.

The secret visit occurred just a month before elections and two days after Netanyahu's return from the UN General Assembly in New York. The meeting took place amidst the controversy surrounding the alleged warning. The Haaretz report detailed that bin Zayed had urged Netanyahu to act on the threat, but the Prime Minister reacted with relative calm. The report also stated that during this "warning call," bin Zayed expressed concern that the potential event would not only lead to bloodshed but also destabilize the region and harm the Abraham Accords.

Notably, no Emirati official has officially denied the conversation, and some sources have even confirmed it. This is not the first time a Netanyahu visit to the UAE has caused ripples. In May, his office announced a secret visit during the "Iron Swords" war, calling it a "historic breakthrough." However, according to N12, the revelation of that visit, against the UAE's wishes, created tension with Abu Dhabi.