Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told lawyers to begin defamation proceedings against an Israeli newspaper over reports that the leader of the United Arab Emirates warned him that Hamas was planning an operation just days before the 7 October 2023 attacks. According to book extracts published by Haaretz, UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had a phone call with Netanyahu that September.
The report said Netanyahu was warned that the then-Hamas chief in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, was planning a major operation. Netanyahu's office said "no warning was given to the prime minister from the United Arab Emirates before 7 October", calling the report part of a "sinister plot".
Haaretz, which has historically been a vocal critic of the prime minister, has stood by its reporting and rejected Netanyahu's defamation claim, saying its "sole purpose is to silence journalistic criticism". The report – and Netanyahu's angry denials, accusing Haaretz of lies – comes as the general election campaign in Israel starts to heat up. The polls on 27 October are widely considered a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership.
On 7 October 2023, thousands of Hamas-led gunmen breached the Gaza border fence and attacked nearby Israeli communities, military bases and a large music festival. About 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken back to Gaza as hostages. Israel responded by launching a military campaign in Gaza, during which at least 73,670 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the UN.
Ever since 7 October, accusations have been laid against Netanyahu that he did not act quickly enough after the attack began. He has resisted an independent public inquiry into what happened and this latest report will only fuel critics' suspicions.