<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied claims that he was warned by world leaders about the October 7 attack days before it occurred, as discussions surrounding responsibility for the incident intensify ahead of the upcoming elections.</p>
<p>A report from Haaretz, citing the book “Kidnapped: 843 Days of Abandonment” by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval, alleges that Yahya Sinwar, then-leader of Hamas, instructed Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to warn Netanyahu of an impending attack. The report claims that this warning was communicated to Netanyahu in late September 2023, with an emphasis on the seriousness of the threat.</p>
<p>The Prime Minister's office labeled the report “an absolute lie.” In a statement to Haaretz, the office stated, “Prime Minister Netanyahu did not speak with the president of the United Arab Emirates during the relevant period and did not receive any warning from him.”</p>
<p>Subsequently, the Prime Minister's office released a statement on social media asserting, “The press reports are false. No warning was given to the Prime Minister from the United Arab Emirates before October 7th. If there was any relevant information, it was passed through intelligence channels between the two countries.”</p>
<p>The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not confirm or deny the report, stating that it “does not comment on media stories or speculation regarding conversations between government leaders.” However, it affirmed that Emirati and Israeli leaders “have maintained open and direct lines of communication since the inception of the relationship more than five years ago.”</p>
<p>The ministry added, “When necessary, all relevant intelligence has been and continues to be communicated between the relevant entities.”</p>
<p>Since 2023, there have been suggestions that Israel may have overlooked intelligence indicating that the October 7 attacks were imminent, but this is the first instance linking the UAE to the situation. Jonathan Schanzer, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, commented, “The long and short of it is that there have been multiple credible reports of warnings that were issued and the Israelis appeared to ignore them.” He noted that this is the first time it has been reported that Emiratis passed intelligence directly to the Prime Minister’s office.</p>
<p>Schanzer also raised concerns about the timing of the report, suggesting potential political motivations behind the disclosures from the UAE. He stated, “Let’s just say that the UAE has been sitting on this information for two and a half years, and now they’re releasing it just before the Israeli election.”</p>
<p>As the October elections approach, blame for the October 7 attacks has become a significant political issue. Accusations of failures and foreknowledge have been directed at various parties, but no official inquiry has been initiated, leaving the Israeli public seeking answers.</p>
<p>Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, emphasized the need for a state commission of inquiry to ascertain the facts surrounding the incident. “Two months before an Israeli election, this is a big deal,” he stated.</p>
<p>Netanyahu has consistently claimed that he was not alerted by security officials prior to the October 7 attacks, despite intelligence suggesting an impending assault. He maintains that had he been informed, he could have prevented the massacre.</p>
<p>Netanyahu and his family have suggested that Yair Golan, the leader of the left-wing Democrats in the Knesset, intentionally withheld information from the Prime Minister. Golan has been credited with saving lives during the attack and has denied any allegations of withholding information.</p>
<p>An August poll conducted by Channel 13 indicated that 40% of Israelis believe that treasonous behavior within the government or military contributed to the October 7 attacks, with that figure rising to 63% among supporters of Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition.</p>