Netanyahu to sue Haaretz over report of pre-October 7 warning

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he plans to sue the Haaretz newspaper over a report alleging that he was warned by the United Arab Emirates about a possible Hamas attack days before October 7, 2023.

Netanyahu rejected the report as false and politically motivated, saying he had instructed his lawyers to take legal action against the newspaper and its journalists, Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yaval.

The Haaretz report, published on Tuesday, claimed that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, also known as MBZ, contacted Netanyahu by telephone about a potential attack being planned by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar around 10 days before the October 7 assault.

According to the report, Sinwar had conveyed warnings through an intermediary to contacts in the UAE, referring to preparations for a major surprise and warning that Israel should expect a significant escalation.

The report said UAE officials interpreted the messages as an indication that Hamas could be preparing a large-scale attack and passed the information to Israel's Shin Bet security agency.

However, according to Haaretz, the warning was dismissed by the Shin Bet.

The report further alleged that MBZ subsequently raised the matter directly with Netanyahu, who also rejected the warning.

The UAE government has not confirmed the allegations. Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it does not comment on media reports or speculation concerning conversations between government leaders.

Netanyahu has also denied that the alleged telephone conversation with MBZ took place.

He said Israel's National Security Council and his military secretary had reviewed his call records from the period in question and found no evidence of such a conversation.

Netanyahu described the Haaretz report as part of what he called a politically motivated campaign against him ahead of Israel's Knesset elections in October.

The Israeli prime minister is facing political pressure as his government prepares for the election, with former military chief Gadi Eisenkot among his prominent challengers.

Netanyahu separately alleged that Palestinian political figure Muhammad Dahlan was behind the report. Dahlan, who was expelled from Fatah in 2011 following a power struggle with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, is based in the UAE.

Dahlan's representatives have rejected the allegation, according to Israeli media.

The October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel and resulted in around 250 people being taken hostage, according to Israeli figures. The attacks triggered Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza, where Palestinian authorities have reported a death toll of more than 73,000 people.