Before October 7 attack, Netanyahu was warned, report says. He denies it.

Israeli opposition politicians have labeled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unfit for office following a report that he received a warning from the United Arab Emirates regarding an impending Hamas operation weeks before the October 7, 2023, attack. The report, published by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, alleged that the Prime Minister held a 45-minute phone conversation with Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in late September 2023.

According to the report, the Emirati leader informed Netanyahu of a plan by Hamas to launch a major attack intended to destabilize the region. The account further claimed that the Prime Minister remained unfazed by the information, reportedly responding that Israel was prepared for any scenario.

Netanyahu’s office has formally denied these claims. In a statement released on Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s office asserted that no personal warning was provided to him by the Emirati president. The statement clarified that if any relevant information had been shared, it would have been handled through established intelligence channels between the two nations rather than through a direct conversation with the Prime Minister.

The Emirati Foreign Ministry declined to confirm or deny the report, stating that it does not comment on media speculation or details regarding private conversations between government leaders. The ministry noted that the United Arab Emirates and Israel maintain open and direct lines of communication.

The allegations reported by Haaretz have not been independently confirmed. The emergence of these claims has prompted immediate criticism from opposition figures in Israel, who have utilized the report to question the Prime Minister's suitability for his position.