Netanyahu Denies UAE Warning On Oct. 7, Plans Haaretz Defamation Suit
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday denied that an Emirati warning call about the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack occurred and said he has instructed lawyers to file a defamation suit against Haaretz.[1]
The Prime Minister's Office said internal checks by the PMO, the National Security Council and the Military Secretariat found no record of an Emirati emissary visit or an encrypted call before Oct. 7, 2023.[1] Netanyahu said he had instructed his attorneys to sue Haaretz and the reporter who wrote the story, and Haaretz said it stands by its Monday report.[1]
Haaretz published a report on Monday saying a UAE emissary warned Netanyahu before Oct. 7, 2023, and that the warning was not passed to security officials.[1] The United Arab Emirates issued a statement affirming open channels with Israel but neither confirmed nor denied the specific warning described by Haaretz.[1]
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett, an election opponent, said he believes Haaretz's account and called Netanyahu's alleged ignoring of warnings "criminal negligence." CBS News Israel is scheduled to hold national legislative elections on Oct. 27, 2026, with no clear front-runner, raising the political stakes for Netanyahu.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, September 8, 2026, Netanyahu's office denied that any warning call from the Emirati leader occurred before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.
- Netanyahu said he has instructed his attorneys to file a defamation lawsuit against Haaretz and the reporter who wrote the story.
- The Prime Minister's Office said internal checks by the PMO, National Security Council and Military Secretariat showed no record of an Emirati emissary visit or encrypted call between early September and October 7, 2023.
- Haaretz has publicly stated it stands by its Monday report alleging the warning call and Netanyahu's failure to pass it to security officials.
- UAE authorities issued a statement affirming open channels with Israel but neither confirmed nor denied the specific warning described by Haaretz.
- Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, an election opponent, said he believes the Haaretz account and called Netanyahu's alleged ignoring of warnings "criminal negligence."
- Israel is scheduled to hold national legislative elections on October 27, 2026, with no clear front-runner.
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