Netanyahu Targets Haaretz in Defamation Bid After UAE Warning Claim

Thu Sep 10 2026 20:29:38 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered lawyers to sue Israel's Haaretz over allegations that UAE warned him of a Hamas attack before 7 October.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his lawyers to file a defamation suit against the Israeli newspaper Haaretz after the paper published evidence that UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed allegedly warned him of a coming Hamas operation. The claim was based on book excerpts presented by Haaretz and reported that the warning was given just days before the 7 October 2023 attacks. Netanyahu’s office denied any such warning, labeling the report a “sinister plot.” The lawsuit comes as Israel heads into a heated national election, with the opposition demanding a new inquiry into the events leading to the attacks. Haaretz maintains its editorial position and counters that it is merely fulfilling its duty to report significant public issues.

Netanyahu Targets Haaretz in Defamation Bid

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his legal team to initiate a defamation lawsuit against the Israeli daily Haaretz following the paper’s claim that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) warned him of a Hamas attack just days before the 7 October 2023 raid.

Haaretz cited excerpts from a book, presenting an alleged phone call between Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Netanyahu in September 2023. The paper argues that bin Zayed conveyed that Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar had been preparing a major offensive described as an “earthquake.”

Netanyahu’s office rejected the claim, calling the story part of a “sinister plot” and stating that no warning was issued by the UAE before the attacks. The prime minister has publicly warned that such allegations are untrue and attack his reputation.

Haaretz affirmed its coverage, declaring that its aim is to expose failures in leadership and not to suppress journalistic critique. The reporters responded that the story is based on extensive research, interviews and documents concerning what they see as a critical public issue.

The lawsuit arrives amid a heated electoral contest, with critics calling for an independent inquiry into Israel’s response to the 7 October surprise. Opposite parties, led by figures Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman and Yair Golan, demanded a fresh investigation and dismissed Netanyahu’s government as unfit to lead.

The UAE has not directly addressed the alleged phone call but emphasized its ongoing commitment to de‑escalation, stability and preventing further violence since the outbreak of hostilities. Official statements from its foreign ministry mention continuous intelligence-sharing and open lines of communication with Israeli counterparts.

The claims, if proven, could reshape narratives around Israel’s preparedness and leadership, fostering a new thread of political debate as the country approaches the August parliamentary elections and its international allies assess the unfolding crisis. The legal action, therefore, is more than a media dispute—it is a potentially pivotal moment for Israeli politics and the nation’s collective memory of October’s events.