RismadarVoice Reporters
September 10, 2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to sue Haaretz newspaper over a report alleging that United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed warned him about a possible Hamas attack days before the October 7, 2023 assault.
Netanyahu, in a statement on Wednesday, described the report as “false” and “fabricated”, saying he had instructed his lawyers to take legal action against Haaretz and the journalists who authored the report.
The Haaretz report claimed that Mohammed bin Zayed, also known as MBZ, contacted Netanyahu about a possible attack after receiving information linked to then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
According to the report, Sinwar had allegedly sent messages through an intermediary warning of a “huge surprise” and telling Israel to expect an “earthquake”.
It claimed that the UAE interpreted the message as a possible indication of a major attack and shared the information with Israel’s Shin Bet security agency, which reportedly dismissed the warning.
The report further alleged that MBZ later raised the matter directly with Netanyahu, who also did not act on the warning.
The UAE government has not confirmed the claims, saying it does not comment on media reports or speculation regarding conversations between government leaders.
Netanyahu rejected the allegations, saying a review of his official call records by the National Security Council and his military secretary showed no evidence of such a conversation with the UAE leader.
He also accused the report of being politically motivated, linking it to the ongoing political contest ahead of Israel’s Knesset elections.
Haaretz has not withdrawn the report, while Netanyahu’s legal action comes amid continued political debate over accountability and intelligence failures surrounding the October 7 Hamas-led attack.
The attack resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 people in southern Israel and the capture of hundreds of hostages, triggering Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
