Israel's Netanyahu to sue newspaper over claim UAE warned him of 7 October attack
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is initiating defamation proceedings against the newspaper Haaretz over a report claiming he received a warning from the UAE regarding a Hamas attack before October 7. Netanyahu denies the claim, labeling it a 'sinister plot' amid a heated election campaign.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights deep political tensions in Israel and the sensitivity of intelligence failures surrounding the October 7 attacks.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, Netanyahu's office said the report was part of a "sinister plot"
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told lawyers to begin defamation proceedings against an Israeli newspaper over reports that the leader of the United Arab Emirates warned him that Hamas was planning an operation just days before the 7 October 2023 attacks.
According to book extracts published by Haaretz, UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had a phone call with Netanyahu that September.
The report said Netanyahu was warned that the then-Hamas chief in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, was planning a major operation.
Netanyahu's office said "no warning was given to the prime minister from the United Arab Emirates before 7 October", calling the report part of a "sinister plot".
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