Netanyahu Confirms Egyptian Spy Chief Landed in Israel Before Oct. 7, Denies Meeting
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the head of Egyptian intelligence landed in Israel before the October 7th attack but denied meeting him. He called for an investigation into who Kamel met with, citing available camera footage. This comes after reports that Kamel warned Israeli officials of an impending attack, which Netanyahu's office previously denied. Arab warnings, including from the UAE, were based on intelligence about Hamas activities but lacked specific details on the attack's timing or scope.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the Egyptian intelligence chief landed in Israel before October 7th.
- Netanyahu denied meeting with the Egyptian intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel, and called for an investigation.
- The confirmation follows reports that Kamel warned Israeli officials of an impending attack.
- Netanyahu's office had previously dismissed earlier reports of such warnings as false.
- Arab warnings were based on Hamas activity but lacked specific details on the attack's timing or scale.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the head of Egyptian intelligence landed in Israel days before the October 7th Hamas attack, but denied meeting with him. Speaking on Channel 14's "The Patriots" program, Netanyahu acknowledged the Egyptian plane's arrival but stated he did not know who the then-head of Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamel, met with. He vehemently denied meeting Kamel himself, questioning the premise of such a meeting between intelligence chiefs and heads of state.
Netanyahu called for an investigation into the matter, stating, "I want to know who he met with. There are cameras, there is documentation, and I want to know the truth, because the truth is not that I met with him. Whoever met with him is trying to pin it on me." He suggested that anyone claiming he met Kamel was attempting to shift blame.
These remarks follow a report last month in The Atlantic, which alleged Kamel landed in Israel on September 26, 2023, and warned Israeli officials of an impending attack. The Prime Minister's Office had previously dismissed that report as a "false and recycled claim aimed at misleading the public."
Further reporting by The Wall Street Journal indicated that Kamel had also spoken by phone with Netanyahu in early October 2023 to warn him of the attack, marking the third such Egyptian outreach. Earlier, vague warnings were reportedly conveyed in June 2023, and in September, an update on signs of an attack was also received from UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed. Sources cited in these reports clarified that the Arab warnings were based on a shift in tone from Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and frequent meetings among Gaza-based terror groups, but did not include specific details on the timing or scale of the attack.
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