Netanyahu Denies Reports of UAE Warning Prior to October 7 Attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied reports that the President of the United Arab Emirates warned him of a planned Hamas attack prior to October 7. The reports, originally published by Haaretz, allege that President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a 45 minute phone call with Netanyahu approximately 10 days before the attack to warn that Yahya Sinwar was planning a large scale operation. Haaretz states the report is based on documents and interviews with dozens of sources, including three foreign officials. Netanyahu has called the report false and has instructed his lawyers to file a libel suit against the publication and the author, Shlomi Eldar.

Netanyahu claimed that Mohammed Dahlan, an exiled Fatah leader based in the UAE, was behind the report. Dahlan and his spokesperson, Dimitri Diliani, have rejected these allegations, calling them a misleading attempt to distract from the government's failures regarding October 7. A senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies told The Jerusalem Post that Netanyahu's accusations against Dahlan may be part of a campaign to shift focus toward external interference in the upcoming election. The UAE has declined to confirm or deny the reported warning, while sources cited by The Jerusalem Post claim that then US President Joe Biden was not informed of any such communication.

Framing of the event varies by political lean. Left leaning coverage emphasizes the journalistic investigation and the public interest in exposing the truth about the warning. Center right coverage focuses on the denials from Mohammed Dahlan and the potential political motivations behind the accusations. Center left coverage highlights the potential political damage to Netanyahu and the criticism he faces from opposition parties ahead of the general election.