A report in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz alleges that UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a Hamas offensive ten days before the October 7, 2023, attacks. The Prime Minister's office has strongly denied the claim. This development arrives as Israel faces political pressure ahead of its upcoming general election on October 27, 2026.
A new report published by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz has brought fresh attention to the events leading up to the October 7, 2023, attacks. Citing details from the book 'Kidnapped: 843 Days of Abandonment' by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval, the report claims that UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reached out to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu roughly ten days before the conflict began to warn of an imminent, massive offensive by Hamas.
The publication alleges that the warning was based on intelligence reaching the UAE, and that the Prime Minister's office did not act on the information or share it with the security cabinet. These claims have quickly moved to the center of Israeli political discourse, given the ongoing scrutiny of the government's preparedness and security decisions prior to the start of the conflict.
In a formal response, the Prime Minister's office has denied the allegations entirely. The office stated that no such telephone conversation between the UAE President and the Prime Minister took place, nor was any such warning received. The government has labeled the report as an absolute falsehood, seeking to dismiss the narrative being presented by the book's authors and the reporting media.
This controversy arrives during a sensitive period in Israeli domestic politics. With the country scheduled to hold general elections on October 27, 2026, opposition figures, including former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot, have used the report to press their criticism of the current administration. They argue that the potential dismissal of such high-level intelligence reflects a broader failure in the government's management of national security.
For observers of the region, this event highlights the continuing political volatility in Israel. While no direct economic or market data is immediately affected by this report, geopolitical instability remains a key factor for international investors tracking the Middle East. Continued political friction and internal disagreement regarding national security strategy often influence regional risk assessments. Market observers are likely to monitor the upcoming election results and any further developments in the inquiry into the government's pre-war security actions, as these could influence the country’s future policy direction and regional diplomatic relationships, including the status of the Abraham Accords.