Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed lawyers to start defamation proceedings against Haaretz newspaper over a report alleging that UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan warned him of an impending Hamas operation days before the 7 October 2023 attacks. The claim, drawn from book extracts, is denied by Netanyahu's office as part of a political plot. Haaretz stands by its reporting. The dispute emerges as Israel prepares for elections on 27 October.
What does the Haaretz report claim about the UAE warning?
The report states that in late September 2023 an Emirati embassy representative delivered a secure phone to Netanyahu's office for a confidential call. During the conversation, Sheikh Mohammed reportedly told Netanyahu that Yahya Sinwar had described to a former Palestinian official plans for a major operation described as an "earthquake". The Emirati leader expressed concern that the event would cause bloodshed and regional instability. According to the account, Netanyahu responded calmly, assessing that Hamas intended action in the West Bank and assuring that Israel was prepared. The report cited three foreign senior sources and a Palestinian adviser to Sheikh Mohammed. It said the information came from extensive research of dozens of sources, documents and correspondence carried out for the book Hostages: 843 Days of Abandonment by Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval. The report added that to his surprise the prime minister reacted with relative calm. Netanyahu said that in his assessment Hamas intended to operate in the West Bank area and he reassured bin Zayed that Israel was prepared for any scenario. The report went on to recount that the Emirati leader relayed the conversation to the then CIA director William J Burns. It also said Netanyahu failed to brief the heads of Israel's Shin Bet domestic security agency and Mossad intelligence agency as well as the Israeli army's chief of staff about his conversation with the UAE president.
Why has Netanyahu rejected the report and launched legal action?
Netanyahu's office stated that no warning was received from the UAE before 7 October and described the report as a "sinister plot". The prime minister accused Haaretz of lies with clear political timing ahead of the 27 October elections. His Likud party called the story blatant foreign interference. Lawyers for Netanyahu have begun defamation proceedings. The report was published on the same day that the UK announced sanctions on illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. The decision angered the Israeli government which announced several countermeasures including ordering the closure of the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem. While that development made international headlines it was the Haaretz story that led the news in a country getting ready for elections. Netanyahu's Likud Party accused Haaretz of blatant foreign interference in Israel's elections while the prime minister said on X that the story had clear political timing as part of the left's election campaign.
How has Haaretz responded to the defamation threat?
Haaretz has rejected the legal claim saying its reporting rests on dozens of sources documents and correspondence compiled for the book Hostages: 843 Days of Abandonment. The newspaper's lawyers stated that the investigation serves the public interest and that attempts to silence criticism will not succeed. They noted the absence of full public accountability on the events of 7 October. Lawyers for Haaretz responded to Netanyahu's plans to begin legal proceedings saying they would not be deterred by what they described as the prime minister's attempts to silence journalistic criticism. The lawyers' letter stated that the report was the product of an in-depth journalistic investigation and is based on sources pertaining to an issue of paramount public importance. In the absence of a full accountability to the public on behalf of your client the press fulfils its role and exposes step by step the information to the public it added. Haaretz which has historically been a vocal critic of the prime minister has stood by its reporting and rejected Netanyahu's defamation claim saying its sole purpose is to silence journalistic criticism.
What context surrounds the 7 October attacks and their aftermath?
On 7 October 2023 Hamas-led gunmen crossed the Gaza border killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza. The territory's Hamas-run health ministry reports at least 73,670 people killed; the UN considers these figures reliable. Netanyahu has faced criticism for not acting quickly enough and has resisted an independent public inquiry. Ever since 7 October accusations have been laid against Netanyahu that he did not act quickly enough after the attack began. He has resisted an independent public inquiry into what happened and this latest report will only fuel critics' suspicions. The report and Netanyahu's angry denials accusing Haaretz of lies comes as the general election campaign in Israel starts to heat up. The polls on 27 October are widely considered a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership.
What reactions have come from opposition figures and the UAE?
Four opposition leaders issued a joint statement calling Netanyahu and his partners unfit to remain in office and demanding an investigation. The UAE foreign ministry did not confirm or deny the specific conversation but emphasised ongoing intelligence sharing with Israel and work toward regional stability since the attacks. It noted open lines of communication maintained for more than five years. Four of Israel's main opposition leaders issued a joint statement demanding an investigation into what happened. Netanyahu and his partners in the 7 October government are unfit to continue in office said Gadi Eisenkot Naftali Bennett Avigdor Lieberman and Yair Golan. We will work with the co-ordination and responsibility required to prevent them from leading to another disaster. While the UAE has not addressed the conversation specifically it did not deny it either issuing a statement emphasising that since the attack by Hamas it has worked towards de-escalation regional stability and preventing violence. UAE and Israeli government entities have maintained open and direct lines of communication since the inception of the relationship more than five years ago the UAE's ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement after the publication of Haaretz's report. When necessary all relevant intelligence has been and continues to be communicated between the relevant entities.
Frequently asked questions
Did the UAE confirm the reported warning to Netanyahu?
The UAE has neither confirmed nor denied the specific call described in the Haaretz report.
Why are the 27 October elections significant in this story?
The vote is viewed as a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership and the timing of the report has prompted accusations of political interference from his supporters.
Has Netanyahu briefed Israeli security chiefs on the alleged conversation?
The report states that Netanyahu did not brief the heads of Shin Bet Mossad or the army chief of staff about the call.
What was the reported reaction of the UAE leader to Netanyahu's response?
Sheikh Mohammed reportedly relayed the conversation to then-CIA director William J Burns after Netanyahu reacted with relative calm.
Are casualty figures from Gaza considered reliable?
The UN regards figures from the Hamas-run health ministry as reliable though they remain subject to ongoing verification.
Key takeaways
- Netanyahu has instructed lawyers to sue Haaretz for defamation over the UAE warning report.
- Haaretz maintains the story is based on extensive sourcing for a forthcoming book.
- The dispute coincides with the start of Israel's election campaign on 27 October.
- Opposition leaders have called for an investigation into the reported warning.
- The UAE has not addressed the specific conversation but stresses continued intelligence cooperation.
Conclusion
The legal threat and the underlying allegations add to long-standing questions about warnings before 7 October and accountability. The coming election will test how voters weigh these claims against Netanyahu's record.
