Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing a political storm following a report by Haaretz newspaper alleging that he was directly warned by the president of the United Arab Emirates about a planned Hamas offensive before the October 7, 2023, attacks. The report, excerpted from a forthcoming book by Haaretz reporters, claims UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan alerted Netanyahu to the imminence of a major operation.
According to the report, the warning was delivered between a week and a week and a half before the attack. It further alleges that the prime minister failed to act on the warning and did not inform security chiefs about the planned offensive.
These revelations have sparked intense backlash from Israeli opposition leaders, who have described Netanyahu as unfit for office. The accusations come in the midst of a crucial election campaign.
Prime Minister Netanyahu and his office have strongly denied the claims, calling the report an absolute lie. Netanyahu has denied speaking to the Emirati leader at that time.