Netanyahu warned by UAE president before October 7 events, failed to brief security chiefs: Haaretz

Haaretz, which based its report on dozens of Israeli and foreign sources as well as recordings, internal documents and correspondence, said the UAE president urged Netanyahu to take the threat seriously.

The Israeli premier reportedly responded that he believed Hamas intended to carry out an operation in the occupied West Bank and assured bin Zayed that Israel was prepared for any scenario.

Despite the warning, Netanyahu did not brief the heads of the Shin Bet domestic security agency, Mossad intelligence agency or the Israeli army chief of staff about his conversation with the UAE president,. Read:Israeli clearance of Gaza rubble could destroy genocide evidenceA senior Shin Bet official cited by.

Haaretzsaid that knowing about the warnings “could have changed our entire assessment picture.”Haaretzclaimed that bin Zayed later -CIA Director William Burns about his concerns and the message he had conveyed to Netanyahu that “something there is about to explode.”, the warning from the UAE president was not the first indication Israeli authorities had received about Hamas plans.

The report said a Palestinian intermediary had conveyed a message from Sinwar in September 2023 that he was preparing a “huge surprise” and an “earthquake.”The warning was passed to the Shin Bet on September 15, prompting then-Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar to brief Netanyahu and leading to subsequent security discussions,.

Haaretzalso cited a similar warning reportedly delivered to Netanyahu’s office by then-Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel about “something unusual” being prepared by Hamas. Netanyahu’s office strongly denied receiving any warning from the UAE leader. “Prime Minister Netanyahu didn’t speak to the president of the UAE during the period in question and received no warning from him,” it said, calling the.

Haaretzreport an “absolute lie.”Former Shin Bet chief Bar and former Israeli army chief Herzl Halevi said they had not been informed of the warning allegedly delivered by bin Zayed, according to. Haaretz. There was no immediate comment from the UAE on the report.

For his part, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the. Haaretzreport about the warning was “true,” accusing Netanyahu of “criminal negligence” for failing to act on the warnings.

“Netanyahu bears personal and direct responsibility for the failure that led to the deaths of thousands of Israelis on his watch,” Bennett said on US social media company X.Read more:Houthi attacks wound 73, disrupt Saudi energy facilities as group warns of more strikes inside kingdom.

Opposition politician and former Israeli army chief Gadi Eisenkot similarly accused Netanyahu of ignoring repeated warnings. “Netanyahu received dozens of warnings ahead of Oct. 7 and ignored them all. He is unfit,” Eisenkot said.

On October 8, 2023, the Israeli army launched a brutal offensive on Gaza that has killed more than 73,000 people, injured over 174,000 and destroyed much of the territory’s civilian infrastructure.