The United Arab Emirates warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in late September 2023 that Hamas was preparing a major attack, The New York Times reported, citing people familiar with the communication and former Israeli security officials.
According to the report, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed called Netanyahu and passed on information that Hamas was preparing an attack. However, the warning reportedly did not specify whether the planned operation would involve rocket fire or a ground assault into Israel.
The information was not raised during a security meeting Netanyahu held with senior Israeli officials on October 1, six days before Hamas launched its attack, according to five former senior Israeli security officials who spoke to the newspaper.
The New York Times said it also reviewed minutes from the meeting.
Warning reportedly absent from October 1 meeting
According to the meeting minutes, Netanyahu stressed the importance of maintaining calm in Gaza during the October 1 discussion.
He also reportedly rejected suggestions from security officials that Israel consider targeting senior Hamas figures involved in attacks from the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu further argued that military action in Gaza could undermine the possibility of Saudi Arabia establishing diplomatic relations with Israel, a major diplomatic goal that he believed was close to being achieved.
The UAE warning was first reported by Israeli newspaper Haaretz earlier this month.
Netanyahu denies receiving warning
Earlier reports cited by AFP said bin Zayed had contacted Netanyahu roughly 10 days before the October 7 attack after receiving information that Hamas was preparing what was described as a major or “terrifying” operation.
The information reportedly originated with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who allegedly told a former Palestinian official about preparations for a major operation. The former official then passed the information to an Emirati adviser, who conveyed it to bin Zayed.
Netanyahu has denied receiving such a warning from the UAE.
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His office said that if relevant information had been received from the Emirati leadership, it would have been passed through established intelligence channels between the two countries.
The UAE has not directly commented on reports concerning communications between its leaders and foreign officials, while maintaining that relevant intelligence is shared when necessary.
October 7 failures remain under scrutiny
The Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, killed about 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in around 250 people being taken hostage.
The assault exposed serious failures in Israel’s security and intelligence systems and has since fueled an ongoing debate over responsibility for the country’s failure to prevent the attack.
The New York Times report also highlighted other intelligence warnings that preceded the assault. Israeli security officials had obtained a Hamas battle plan in 2022, known as the “Jericho Wall”, but military leaders reportedly considered the plan unrealistic.
Other intelligence assessments had also concluded that Hamas was not preparing for a major war.
UAE-Israel ties remain significant
The UAE and Israel established diplomatic relations in 2020 under the US-brokered Abraham Accords, making the Gulf state one of several Arab countries to formally establish ties with Israel.
Despite the war in Gaza, the relationship has remained an important part of Israel’s diplomatic engagement with the Arab world.
The latest report comes as Israel prepares for national elections next month, with questions surrounding responsibility for the October 7 security failures expected to remain a major issue in the political debate.
