Netanyahu faced foreign warnings of a major Hamas attack before the 2023 assault
New evidence shows the UAE and Egypt warned Benjamin Netanyahu of an imminent large-scale Hamas strike, which he did not pass to Israel’s military chiefs.
A senior UAE diplomat delivered an encrypted call from President Mohamed bin Zayed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in September 2023, warning of a large-scale Hamas assault. Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel also visited Tel Aviv and later called Netanyahu with a comparable threat. According to multiple investigations, Netanyahu did not inform the Israeli military hierarchy of these warnings.
The subsequent Hamas attack resulted in significant civilian deaths and kidnappings, becoming a central issue in the upcoming legislative elections where Netanyahu seeks a seventh term. Opposition leaders cite the ignored alerts to argue that Netanyahu lacks the capacity to remain in office. Calls for an independent inquiry into the security failures have gained broad public support.
How this story developed
- Sep 1 Israeli prime minister's wife faces libel claim over Oct. 7 accusations
- Sep 11 Israeli leaders announced that the Hezbollah tunnel network on Ali Taher ridge had been destroyed.
- Sep 11 Golan has filed a defamation lawsuit against Sara Netanyahu.
- Sep 11 Israel announced it will continue striking Hezbollah sites after the tunnel demolition.
- Sep 19 Netanyahu pledged legislation to strip citizenship from those who “defame” soldiers.
- Sep 22 Mayor Zohran Mamdani reiterated his view that Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal, noting the ICC’s arrest warrant but acknowledging he cannot detain the Israeli leader.
- Sep 23 Israel's Central Elections Committee barred the Joint List from the upcoming Knesset election, prompting the alliance to label the move racist and vow a Supreme Court appeal.
- Sep 24 The electoral commission has acted on two Arab party lists.
- Sep 24 Netanyahu announced he will use his UN appearance to directly attack New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
- Sep 24 Netanyahu delivered the UN address and a large walkout occurred.
- Sep 26 The film’s worldwide theatrical rollout began late September and a free online streaming launch was announced for November.
- Sep 28 Netanyahu held a private hour‑long meeting with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi and asked him to publicly reject the allegation that the UAE had warned Israel of the Oct 7 attack.
- Sep 28 UAE's state news agency confirmed that Netanyahu arrived in Abu Dhabi for a high‑level meeting with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.
Related stories
43 in this thread