Netanyahu Denies Report He Asked UAE President to Discredit Hamas Warning

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday vehemently denied a report by the Associated Press (AP) alleging that the purpose of his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates was to ask President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed to refute claims that he had warned Netanyahu about an impending Hamas attack before October 7.

Netanyahu's office issued a statement calling the report "fake news" and asserting that the visit "dealt solely with strengthening relations between the two countries and regional challenges." The Prime Minister's attorney also stated that the report was false and that no such conversation took place between Netanyahu and the UAE president.

The Prime Minister's office had previously confirmed that Netanyahu and his wife visited the UAE at the invitation of President bin Zayed. The visit, which included the National Security Advisor, the head of the Mossad, the Military Secretary, and a diplomatic advisor, focused on bolstering bilateral ties and addressing regional issues.

Earlier reports indicated that Netanyahu's six-hour visit to Abu Dhabi primarily concerned the Iranian issue. However, the AP report suggested that during the meeting, Netanyahu specifically requested bin Zayed to deny any prior warning about the October 7 Hamas attack.