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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing criticism after denying a report that he was warned about the deadly October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The report, published in the newspaper Haaretz, claimed that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan informed Netanyahu about Hamas's plans for a major operation. According to Daily Sabah, Netanyahu's office has dismissed the report as "an absolute lie."
The attack resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,221 people and the capture of 251 hostages. Opposition leaders, including former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and former military commander Gadi Eisenkot, have called for Netanyahu's resignation, accusing him of ignoring warnings and being unfit to serve. Bennett emphasized Netanyahu's "personal and direct responsibility" for the attack's consequences, as reported by NST.
The controversy stems from claims that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar warned of a "terrifying operation," which was relayed to the UAE and then to Netanyahu. Despite these warnings, Netanyahu allegedly remained calm and did not inform his security officials, according to a report by KOMO News.
The UAE normalized ties with Israel in 2020 under the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords, a key achievement for Netanyahu. However, opposition leaders argue that his handling of the situation has endangered Israel. Calls for an independent state commission of inquiry into the security lapses have been rejected by Netanyahu's government.
As elections approach on October 27, Netanyahu's political rivals are using the report to question his leadership and responsibility in the wake of the attack.