Netanyahu failed to relay UAE warning on Hamas attack: NYT

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a direct warning from United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in late September 2023 regarding a potential major Hamas attack but failed to relay the intelligence to his security chiefs before the October 7 assault, the New York Times reported on Friday.

Unheeded Warning

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed conveyed the message during a telephone call with Netanyahu in late September, cautioning that Hamas was weighing a significant operation without specifying whether it would involve rocket fire or a ground assault, according to two people familiar with the exchange. The warning never reached the heads of Israel's security establishment, five former senior Israeli officials told the newspaper.

Netanyahu convened his security chiefs on October 1 to discuss the Gaza situation but omitted any mention of the Emirati warning, according to meeting minutes reviewed by the Times. The minutes showed that Netanyahu instead advocated for maintaining calm in Gaza and rejected proposals by some security officials to target senior Hamas figures, arguing that military action could undermine efforts to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia.

Denial and Corroboration

Netanyahu denied receiving the warning after the Israeli newspaper Haaretz first reported the alleged call earlier this month. The Times reported that Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed later confirmed the September conversation to then-CIA Director William Burns, stating that he had warned Netanyahu about a looming threat from Hamas in either Gaza or the occupied West Bank.