Netanyahu to sue Haaretz over UAE warning claims

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that he will sue Haaretz newspaper. He rejects their report claiming the UAE warned him of Hamas plans before the October 7, 2023 attacks. The prime minister called the story fabricated and instructed lawyers to take legal action against the publication.

The controversial report was published on Tuesday by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yaval. It alleged that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed warned Netanyahu ten days before the assault. The president reportedly spoke by phone about a threat from then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar regarding an impending surprise.

According to the article, Sinwar had relayed warnings through an intermediary to the UAE. He described preparing a huge surprise and told contacts to expect an earthquake. The UAE leadership interpreted this as a sign of a full-scale attack and passed intelligence to Israel’s Shin Bet security agency.

The internal security agency allegedly dismissed the threat despite the urgent warning. MBZ then raised the issue directly with Netanyahu, who also brushed it aside according to the report. The attacks resulted in significant casualties and captives, prompting a devastating war on Gaza with high Palestinian death tolls.

Netanyahu stated on X that his office reviewed call logs and found no trace of such a conversation. He labeled the report politically motivated and part of the left’s election campaign. His ruling Likud party claimed that senior Palestinian official Mohammed Dahlan was behind the false narrative to interfere in elections.

Likud alleged that Dahlan seeks to oust Netanyahu’s government to control Gaza. They accused journalist Shlomi Eldar of receiving payment from a left-wing organization connected to Yair Golan. The party called for a criminal investigation into Eldar, Haaretz, and opposition figures for alleged foreign interference.

Opposition leaders including Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot demanded a state commission of inquiry. They accused Netanyahu of ignoring serious warnings that reached him directly before the attack. Netanyahu continues to resist these calls, arguing that responsibility questions should be addressed only after the ongoing war concludes.