Overview
- Haaretz published excerpts from a forthcoming book saying United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed phoned Benjamin Netanyahu for about 45 minutes in September 2023 to warn that Hamas planned a large-scale attack.
- The report says Netanyahu did not pass the warning to Israel’s top security chiefs or act on it, a claim that, if true, would revise what was known about pre‑Oct. 7 intelligence handling.
- Netanyahu’s office issued a categorical denial and he posted that he has instructed lawyers to file a defamation suit against Haaretz and the journalist named in the article.
- The UAE declined to confirm the account and issued a statement noting that UAE and Israeli government bodies maintain direct channels for intelligence exchange when needed.
- The book’s authors say their reporting draws on dozens of interviews including on‑the‑record advisers, but many key details rely on anonymous sources and have not been independently verified, prompting renewed calls for a formal state investigation before the Oct. 27 election.