Netanyahu Launches Legal Action Against Israeli Newspaper Over Alleged UAE Warning

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a news conference
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a press conference in Jerusalem, 8 September 2026.

The Israeli government has announced it will initiate a defamation lawsuit against the newspaper Haaretz, following a report that UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed had warned Netanyahu that Hamas was planning a major operation just weeks before the December 7 2023 attacks.

According to extracts from a Haaretz book, a September‑2023 phone call between bin Zayed and Netanyahu allegedly revealed that Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar was preparing a “major operation” that could be likened to an “earthquake.” The story claims the UAE representative met with Netanyahu’s office and used a special phone to keep the conversation confidential.

Netanyahu’s office rebuffed every claim of a prior warning, labeling the report a “sinister plot” and stating, “No warning was given to the prime minister from the United Arab Emirates before 7 October.” The laws are set to commence by October 27, when Israel’s general election is expected to be a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership.

Haaretz has defended its investigative work, arguing that the story was based on extensive research of dozens of sources and that its intent is to expose important public information. The newspaper’s lawyers stated that the report is “the product of an in‑depth journalistic investigation” rather than a “political attack.”

The tale of the alleged UAE warning emerges as Israel’s military counter‑strike on Gaza continues, with the Hamas‑run health ministry reporting that at least 73,670 people have been killed, figures widely considered reliable by the United Nations.

Meanwhile, the UAE government has issued a statement asserting its commitment to regional stability since the Hamas attacks and confirmed that intelligence was shared with Israeli authorities when necessary. Nevertheless, it has not directly addressed the alleged conversation between the UAE president and Netanyahu.

Israel’s main opposition parties, including Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman and Yair Golan, insisted that an independent investigation into the events preceding the attack is essential, describing the political climate as “unfit for continued leadership.”