Israeli Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu is facing fresh criticism from political opponents after a report claimed that United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed warned him about a planned Hamas operation days before the October 7, 2023 attack.
The report has renewed questions over what Netanyahu knew before the attack, with opposition figures accusing him of failing to act on warnings about the threat from Hamas.
An Israeli newspaper reported on Tuesday that Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke with Netanyahu around 10 days before the attack and told him that Hamas and its then-leader Yahya Sinwar were preparing a major operation against Israel.
The report, based on an excerpt from a book written by two Israeli journalists, said that bin Zayed warned that the planned operation could destabilise the region and undermine the Abraham Accords between Israel and Arab states.
Netanyahu’s office rejected the report.
“No warning was given to the Prime Minister from the United Arab Emirates before October 7,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
The UAE Foreign Ministry did not directly confirm the report but said, “When necessary, all relevant intelligence has been and continue to be communicated between the relevant entities.”
The latest claims have drawn criticism from Netanyahu’s political opponents ahead of Israeli elections next month.
Former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, whose centrist Yash party has frequently led Netanyahu’s centre-right Likud in opinion polls, said, “More and more signs point to the fact that Netanyahu blindly led Israel into the disaster of October 7.”
Eisenkot has called for a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 attacks, while Netanyahu has rejected the proposal.
Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, who is also contesting the election, said, “Netanyahu bears personal and direct responsibility for the failure that led to the deaths of thousands of Israelis on his watch.”
Yair Golan, leader of the centre-left Democrats party, also criticised Netanyahu on X, writing, “You knew, you ignored, you failed, you are to blame.”
The UAE established diplomatic relations with Israel in 2021 under the Abraham Accords. Saudi Arabia and Israel were also moving towards a possible agreement to establish formal ties around the time of the reported conversation.
According to the Israeli newspaper, Netanyahu responded “relatively calmly” to bin Zayed’s warning and said that Israel was prepared for any scenario. Netanyahu reportedly believed an attack was more likely to come from the West Bank.
Another Israeli news outlet reported the account on Tuesday, citing an Emirati source who said bin Zayed had warned Netanyahu about the planned Hamas attack.
