Netanyahu Asked UAE President to Deny Pre-Oct. 7 Warning

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly asked UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed to publicly deny reports that he had warned Netanyahu of a potential Hamas attack before October 7, 2023. The request was made during a secret meeting in Abu Dhabi, according to an Associated Press source familiar with the discussions. The meeting primarily focused on a Haaretz newspaper report claiming the UAE president had alerted Netanyahu that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning a significant escalation against Israel.

It remains unclear whether Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed agreed to Netanyahu's request. Neither Netanyahu's office nor the UAE provided a public comment on the meeting or the request. Israeli Channel 12 had previously reported on Netanyahu's unannounced, four-hour visit to the UAE on a private jet, which was conducted under strict secrecy with a small delegation including Mossad chief David Barnea and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi.

The meeting occurred amid ongoing controversy surrounding alleged warnings prior to the October 7th attacks. Haaretz reported that Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed had contacted Netanyahu before the attack, cautioning that Hamas was preparing a major operation that could lead to widespread bloodshed and destabilize the region and the Abraham Accords.

Netanyahu has repeatedly denied receiving any personal warning from the UAE president and had previously announced his intention to take legal action against Haaretz over the report. However, other reports, including one from The New York Times, cited sources indicating that such a warning was indeed conveyed to Netanyahu, leaving the nature and content of the communication disputed.

The revelation of the secret meeting comes as scrutiny intensifies over intelligence failures and warnings received by Israel before the October 7th Hamas assault, including reports of warnings from Egypt during the same period.