The story

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will sue Haaretz newspaper over a report claiming UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed warned him about a major Hamas operation 10 days before the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. The report, based on a new book by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval, said bin Zayed told Netanyahu during a 45-minute phone call in late September 2023 that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning an operation that would destabilize the region. Netanyahu allegedly responded calmly, saying Israel was prepared for any scenario and believed an attack was more likely from the West Bank.

Netanyahu's office denied the conversation took place, calling it a fabricated political smear tied to Israel's upcoming Oct. 27 election. The office said a review of Netanyahu's call logs and office entry records found no evidence of contact with Emirati representatives. The UAE Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the report but said the countries maintain open intelligence channels. Haaretz said it stands by its reporting, and The Times of Israel quoted an Emirati source confirming the call happened.

The report comes as Netanyahu faces a difficult reelection campaign. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, both political rivals, accused Netanyahu of ignoring warnings and called him unfit for office. Eisenkot's Yashar party is forecast to become Israel's largest party in some polls, while Netanyahu's Likud has been forecast to lose up to a third of its seats. The Oct. 7 attack killed about 1,200 people and 251 were taken hostage.