The Associated Press reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a secret weekend visit to Abu Dhabi, asked UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed to publicly deny reports that he warned Israel of an impending Hamas attack before October 7, 2023. The UAE Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the meeting but stated it maintains 'open and direct communication channels' with Israel and shares 'all relevant intelligence.' The Prime Minister's Office had no immediate comment.
The Associated Press reported Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's secret weekend visit to Abu Dhabi was aimed at securing a public denial from UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed regarding reports that the Emirati leader warned Israel before the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack. According to the report, Netanyahu asked bin Zayed to refute claims that he had alerted the prime minister to an impending threat shortly before the massacre that sparked the war.
The UAE Foreign Ministry declined to directly address the meeting but issued a formal statement saying the country maintains 'open and direct communication channels' with Israel and shares 'all relevant intelligence.' The Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem had no immediate response to the AP report.
The report adds a dramatic new dimension to the ongoing controversy over whether Netanyahu received and concealed an early warning before the Oct. 7 attack. The Zioneer has previously reported on a Haaretz investigation that alleged bin Zayed warned Netanyahu ten days before the attack, a claim the PMO dismissed as an 'absolute lie.' A subsequent report by ynet, published earlier Monday, similarly stated that Netanyahu asked bin Zayed to deny the warning during their meeting.
The AP report is the first to cite the UAE's official response to the specific allegation of the request. The UAE has not formally acknowledged the meeting itself, which was not publicly announced.
2 developments
- DevelopingUAE denies bin Zayed warned Netanyahu before Oct. 7 attack
- DevelopingNYT reports Netanyahu received 'non-specific' warning before Oct. 7, did not share with security chiefs
- ConfirmedBiden administration was unaware of a concrete UAE warning before Oct. 7, i24NEWS reports
- StrongUAE has not acknowledged Netanyahu's meeting with Mohammed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi
Source and signal
- Open-source intake