Shin Bet Files Complaint Over Leak of Netanyahu's UAE Flight Details

The Shin Bet security agency has filed a complaint with the Military Censor over a Channel 12 news report detailing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's secret flight to the United Arab Emirates. The Prime Minister's Office stated that the report exposed operational methods and endangered the security of the Prime Minister and his entourage.

The Shin Bet's complaint specifically targets the timing of the report, which aired on Sunday evening at 9:38 PM, while Netanyahu's plane was still airborne and not scheduled to land in Israel until approximately an hour later. The agency argued that publishing the visit while the delegation was in transit posed a significant security risk, potentially exposing operational procedures and jeopardizing future missions.

In parallel, the Prime Minister's Office revealed the identities of those who accompanied Netanyahu on the trip. This group included the head of the Mossad intelligence agency, the National Security Advisor, military secretary Maj. Gen. Guy Marzano, the head of Shin Bet security, and the flight and security crews. The office asserted that the publication endangered the lives of the Prime Minister and his wife, as well as the accompanying delegation.

The Mossad provided an opinion on the severity of the leak, calling it a "serious security threat" to the Prime Minister and the delegation, and labeling the publication an event that caused "damage to the security of the State of Israel."

Netanyahu's visit to the UAE on Sunday involved a roughly six-hour meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed. The visit occurred amidst political controversy in Israel regarding claims that Netanyahu received a warning about the October 7th Hamas attack ten days prior. According to Haaretz newspaper, the UAE President had contacted Netanyahu with such a warning, which Netanyahu has vehemently denied. During their meeting, Netanyahu reportedly urged bin Zayed to officially deny these reports, but the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a vague statement affirming "open and direct communication lines" with Israel without directly addressing the warning claims.