Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing a significant political backlash following a report in the Haaretz newspaper that claims he was warned by the president of the United Arab Emirates about an impending major Hamas operation just days before the October 7, 2023, attack. The report, which draws on findings from an upcoming book by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruti Yuval, alleges that UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed contacted Netanyahu approximately 10 days prior to the assault. During a 45-minute conversation, the UAE leader reportedly warned that Hamas Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar was planning a significant offensive that could destabilize the region and lead to bloodshed. This warning allegedly followed a mid-September 2023 message from Sinwar to both the UAE and Israel via a Palestinian mediator, which cautioned of an approaching “earthquake.”
The Prime Minister’s Office has vehemently rejected the allegations, labeling the report an “absolute lie.” Officials stated that Netanyahu did not speak with the UAE president during that timeframe and received no such warning. While the UAE’s Foreign Ministry declined to comment on specific conversations between leaders, it noted that intelligence is shared between relevant entities when necessary, without explicitly denying the call occurred. An Israeli source familiar with the situation indicated that Netanyahu’s office had attempted to secure a formal denial from the UAE, but the latter would only agree to a statement regarding general intelligence cooperation.
With national elections looming in less than two months, opposition leaders have seized on the report as evidence of a pattern of ignored warnings. Four prominent opposition figures—Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Golan—issued a rare joint statement demanding an immediate and thorough investigation into what they termed Netanyahu’s “failures and malfunctioning.” They questioned what the prime minister knew, when he received the information, and why he failed to alert the security establishment or take action to protect civilians. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett characterized the alleged disregard for such warnings as “criminal negligence,” while Yair Lapid argued that the massacre could have been prevented had the prime minister fulfilled his responsibilities.
The political fallout has intensified as the opposition seeks to make accountability for the October 7 attack—the deadliest in Israel’s history, which saw over 1,200 people murdered and more than 250 taken hostage—a central campaign issue. Gadi Eisenkot, currently polling as a leading challenger, stated that the report confirms Netanyahu “led Israel blindly” toward the disaster and reiterated his commitment to establishing a state commission of inquiry if he wins the upcoming election. Despite persistent demands from survivors and families of the victims, Netanyahu has consistently resisted calls for an independent investigation into the security and intelligence failures that allowed the Hamas operation to succeed.
Instead, the prime minister and his allies have promoted a narrative that blames security chiefs for failing to inform him of intelligence indications on the night before the attack. This approach has led to heated confrontations, including recent comments from Sara Netanyahu. In an interview with Channel 14, she questioned how Yair Golan, a retired major general and leader of the Democrats party, was “already dressed and ready” at dawn on October 7 to assist survivors, implying he had prior knowledge. Golan has dismissed this as a “vile conspiracy theory,” announced his intent to pursue a defamation lawsuit, and accused the prime minister of attempting to rewrite history to deflect responsibility.
Following the Haaretz report, Golan declared that the narrative that the prime minister was not informed is over, calling the situation a “conscious and criminal abandonment.” The Democrats party has since escalated its campaign, placing a large billboard over a major Tel Aviv highway that labels the events as a case of “causing death by negligence.” As the election approaches, Netanyahu remains the only official from the top security echelon of October 7 still in power; the defense minister, military chief of staff, and the heads of the Mossad, Shin Bet, and military intelligence have all since left their positions. The report also notes that and assured Bin Zayed that Israel was prepared for any scenario, haaretz reported that Netanyahu reacted “relatively calmly” to the information. The report also notes that netanyahu has now outlasted nearly every member of Israel’s top security leadership from that day. The report also notes that hours later, the Democrats party sharpened its electoral campaign against Netanyahu, erecting a giant billboard over Tel Aviv’s main highway bearing the headline: “The 1,200 murdered file – Causing death by negligence.”.
