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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed to deny reports that he had warned Israel of an imminent Hamas attack before October 7, 2023, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.
The request was made during a secret meeting between the two leaders on Sunday, according to Haaretz, which cited unspecified sources. Netanyahu reportedly asked bin Zayed to reject accounts of their phone conversation and other details surrounding the period before the attack that could embarrass the Emirati president.
The Israeli prime minister also sought what one source described as “moral support”, the newspaper reported. Two people briefed on the trip said Netanyahu met bin Zayed for about an hour.
Israeli and Emirati authorities had not officially confirmed the reported visit.
Reports of warning before October 7 attack
The meeting was reported amid controversy over media disclosures concerning intelligence warnings that Netanyahu allegedly received before the Hamas attack on Israel.
The New York Times reported on Friday that Netanyahu had received a confidential warning from the UAE president before the attack but had not passed it on to Israel’s security chiefs.
Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, killed about 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in the capture of hostages, according to Israeli authorities. Israel launched its war in Gaza the following day.
ICC warrants and Gaza casualties
Netanyahu has led Israel’s current government since late 2022. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Since October 8, 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians and injured more than 175,000, most of them women and children, while damaging 90% of the territory’s infrastructure.
