Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has initiated legal steps to sue the Israeli newspaper Haaretz for defamation. The dispute arises from published book extracts alleging that United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan personally warned Netanyahu of a major Hamas operation shortly before the October 7, 2023 attacks.
According to the Haaretz report, which cited three foreign senior sources and an adviser to the UAE President, a representative from the UAE embassy brought a secure phone to the Israeli prime minister's office in late September 2023. During the subsequent call, Sheikh Mohammed reportedly warned Netanyahu that Yahya Sinwar, then the Hamas chief in Gaza, was planning an operation described as an "earthquake." The report claims Netanyahu reacted calmly, assessing that Hamas would focus on the West Bank, and reassured the UAE leader that Israel was prepared. The report further alleged that Netanyahu did not brief the heads of Israel's military, Shin Bet, or Mossad about the discussion.
Netanyahu's office has strongly denied the claims, stating that "no warning was given to the prime minister from the United Arab Emirates before 7 October" and describing the report as part of a "sinister plot." Netanyahu's Likud Party also accused the newspaper of foreign election interference, suggesting the story had political timing linked to the upcoming general election scheduled for October 27.
Haaretz has rejected the defamation claim and stood by its report, which was drawn from the book "Hostages: 843 Days of Abandonment" by Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval. Lawyers representing the newspaper stated that the article was the result of extensive journalistic research on an issue of public importance and accused the prime minister of attempting to silence media criticism.
While the UAE ministry of foreign affairs did not specifically address the phone call, it issued a statement emphasizing that the UAE and Israel have maintained open and direct communication lines for over five years. The ministry noted that relevant intelligence is shared between entities when necessary, and that the UAE has consistently worked toward regional stability and de-escalation.
Following the publication, Israeli opposition leaders Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Golan issued a joint statement demanding an official investigation, declaring that Netanyahu and his government are unfit to remain in office.