Netanyahu Denies Withholding October 7 Warning, Plans Libel Suit Over UAE Attack Claim
Updated
Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Sep 26
Netanyahu Denies Withholding October 7 Warning, Plans Libel Suit Over UAE Attack Claim
3 articles · Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Sep 26
Summary
Five former Israeli security officials told the New York Times that Netanyahu did not disclose an alleged UAE warning at an October 1, 2023 Gaza security meeting, six days before Hamas’s October 7 attack.
The report said he also rejected proposals to strike Hamas leaders in Gaza directing West Bank attacks, preferring to preserve calm because he believed a Saudi-Israeli normalization deal was close.
September 9 brought Netanyahu’s formal denial: his office said call logs and Prime Minister’s Office entry records showed no Emirati representative visit, and he ordered lawyers to sue Haaretz and reporter Shlomi Eldar for libel.
The UAE separately rejected the account, saying security matters are handled through relevant bodies rather than directly between national leaders, while two U.S. sources said the Biden administration knew of no specific Emirati warning before October 7.
If both the UAE and Netanyahu deny the warning, are former security officials leaking this to shift blame?
Did the pursuit of a historic Saudi deal blind Israeli leadership to the looming October 7 tragedy?
How does a leader's desire for diplomatic breakthroughs affect their ability to perceive vague but deadly security threats?
The September 2026 Haaretz Exposé: Netanyahu’s UAE Warning Controversy, Press Freedom Battle, and the High-Stakes Israeli Election
Overview
In September 2026, Haaretz published a report alleging that Prime Minister Netanyahu ignored direct warnings from the UAE and Egypt about an impending Hamas attack before October 7, 2023. Despite intelligence passed through intermediaries and security briefings, Netanyahu dismissed the threats and did not inform key officials. The report triggered a libel lawsuit from Netanyahu, sparking a heated debate over press freedom and political accountability just before the October 27 election. Opposition leaders demanded an independent inquiry, while Netanyahu’s coalition faced internal divisions, making his path to victory uncertain amid public protests and calls for answers from bereaved families.