Netanyahu Threatens Defamation Lawsuit Over Report Claiming UAE Issued Pre-October 7 Attack Warning

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed his legal team to initiate defamation proceedings against the prominent domestic newspaper Haaretz. The legal threat follows the publication of excerpts from a book alleging that the leader of the United Arab Emirates personally issued a warning to the prime minister about an imminent Hamas offensive mere days prior to the devastating cross-border assault on October 7, 2023.

According to the newly published account, UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reached out to Netanyahu via a secure telephone connection in late September 2023. The Emirati leader reportedly sought to caution Israel's leadership that Yahya Sinwar, then the head of Hamas inside the Gaza Strip, was actively finalizing preparations for a massive, disruptive offensive that the militant leader had characterized as an "earthquake."

The report outlines intricate arrangements surrounding the high-stakes conversation, noting that a representative from the UAE embassy arrived at the Israeli prime minister’s office equipped with a dedicated secure telephone to ensure absolute confidentiality. Citing three senior foreign sources alongside a Palestinian adviser to Sheikh Mohammed, the report asserts that the Emirati president was deeply alarmed that the looming operation would trigger widespread bloodshed and spark dangerous instability across the wider Middle East.

Despite the gravity of the message, the published account claims that Netanyahu greeted the warning with unexpected composure. The prime minister reportedly expressed his view that any forthcoming Hamas operations would be confined to the West Bank rather than targeting southern Israel, reassuring the UAE president that Israeli defense and security mechanisms were fully equipped to handle whatever scenario might materialize.

The investigative report further asserts that while Sheikh Mohammed briefed then-CIA Director William J. Burns on the exchange, Netanyahu chose not to share the contents of the warning with Israel's principal defense officials. The heads of the Shin Bet domestic security service, the Mossad foreign intelligence agency, and the chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces were all reportedly left uninformed about the Emirati leader's specific advisory.

These detailed allegations stem from extensive investigative research compiled for the book *Hostages: 843 Days of Abandonment*, co-authored by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval. The authors state that their findings rely on corroboration from dozens of confidential sources, official correspondence, and documentary records examining the intelligence environment preceding the October 7 catastrophe.

The prime minister’s office swiftly rejected the claims, describing the published account as completely fabricated and characterizing the report as an element of a sinister plot designed to damage the premier. Official statements released on Netanyahu's behalf maintained that no warning of any kind had been transmitted by the United Arab Emirates ahead of the October 2023 attack.

Netanyahu’s ruling Likud Party responded forcefully to the reporting, framing the story as a deliberate act of foreign meddling aimed at disrupting Israel's democratic processes. In public statements, the prime minister echoed these assertions, arguing on social media that the revelation was published with calculated political timing to bolster the election efforts of his domestic left-wing opponents.

The publication arrives at a highly sensitive political juncture, with Israel heading toward general elections scheduled for October 27. The upcoming vote is widely viewed by analysts and voters alike as a crucial referendum on Netanyahu’s long-standing leadership and his governance before and during the ongoing conflict.

Legal representatives for Haaretz responded decisively to the defamation threats, affirming that the publication would not bow to legal intimidation. The newspaper's attorneys asserted that the reporting was the result of exhaustive investigative journalism addressing a matter of vital public interest, adding that the press must serve as a critical vehicle of accountability when the government fails to provide complete transparency to its citizens.

The underlying tragedy of October 7 continues to define Israel's political and military landscape. On that morning, thousands of militants breached the border barrier surrounding Gaza, storming military installations, civilian communities, and an outdoor music gathering. The surprise offensive resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 individuals who were taken into the enclave as hostages.

In the aftermath of the assault, Israel embarked on a sweeping military campaign throughout the Gaza Strip. Local health officials in the Hamas-administered territory report that more than 73,670 people have been killed in the ensuing warfare, a statistical toll that United Nations agencies have consistently treated as credible.

Throughout the post-attack period, Netanyahu has faced intense domestic scrutiny and accusations of failing to respond decisively once the threat materialized. The prime minister has consistently resisted demands to authorize an independent state commission of inquiry into the institutional and strategic failures of October 7, an obstinacy that the latest reporting is likely to amplify among his political opponents.

In the wake of the latest revelations, four prominent Israeli opposition leaders joined forces to demand an immediate and thorough investigation into the allegations. In a collective statement condemning the government's record, the opposition figures declared that Netanyahu and his ruling coalition partners bear profound responsibility for the catastrophe and have proven themselves unfit to retain power.

For its part, the United Arab Emirates foreign ministry avoided confirming or denying the specific phone call, instead highlighting its persistent efforts to promote de-escalation and regional calm. The ministry noted that established channels of direct communication between Emirati and Israeli authorities have operated reliably for more than five years, with pertinent intelligence shared between relevant security agencies whenever necessary.

The explosive report overshadowed other major diplomatic developments, including recent sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom against illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. Although Israel reacted to the British measures by ordering the closure of the UK consulate in occupied East Jerusalem, the domestic focus remained firmly centered on the questions surrounding Netanyahu's pre-war intelligence handling.