Former PA Minister Denies Claims of Warning Netanyahu About Gaza Invasion
Translated & summarized from Channel 9 by baba
Former PA minister Soufian Abu Zayda denied claims that he warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about an impending Hamas invasion of Gaza. Abu Zayda stated he never spoke to the authors of the book making the claim and believed any Hamas threats were typical blackmail tactics, not a signal for a large-scale war.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Former PA minister Soufian Abu Zayda denied warning Netanyahu about Gaza invasion.
- Abu Zayda claims authors of book never spoke to him directly.
- He believed Hamas threats were for blackmail, not war.
- Abu Zayda thought potential threats were aimed at West Bank.
- Sinwar's warning specified action by end of September.
Soufian Abu Zayda, a former Palestinian Authority minister featured in a book by Shlomo Eldar and the author, has refuted claims made in the book and subsequent media reports. The book alleges that Abu Zayda, referred to as "Coal Eyes," relayed a message from Hamas commander Yahya Sinwar to Israelis via UAE authorities. Eldar and the author described this as a personal call from UAE ruler Zayed al-Nahyan to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning of an impending Hamas invasion.
However, Abu Zayda stated in an interview with Israel's Channel 12 that Eldar and the author never spoke with him directly. "Other people spoke with them, and I am not responsible for what other people say," he asserted. He further claimed that neither he nor Mohammad Dahlan, nor the UAE ruler, understood that Hamas's message indicated an imminent war.
Abu Zayda explained that he believed any threats from Sinwar were typical Hamas tactics for blackmail or to extract concessions. He personally thought any potential threat was directed towards the West Bank, possibly involving the kidnapping of a soldier or Israeli for negotiation purposes, and not a large-scale invasion like the one on October 7th. He also noted that Sinwar's warning specified an action "by the end of September," after which the threat became vague.
Abu Zayda's statements contradict the narrative that he conveyed a specific warning of an impending "war" to the UAE. While it was known that Hamas issued threats, the nature, location, and timing were unclear. His testimony raises questions about the intelligence received and why military forces at the Gaza border fence lacked basic operational readiness regardless of specific warnings.