Netanyahu Reportedly Met UAE President Amid Pre-October 7 Warning Storm
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the UAE for talks with President Mohammed bin Zayed amid reports that he received pre-October 7 warnings.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a secret meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, according to reports by Channel 12 diplomatic correspondent Yaron Avraham. Two sources confirmed that Netanyahu flew to the Emirates on a private jet, while the Prime Minister's Office declined to provide any details regarding the visit.
The unannounced trip comes against the backdrop of a growing political firestorm surrounding intelligence warnings ahead of the October 7, 2023 attacks. Following an initial report by Haaretz, The New York Times reported that bin Zayed had explicitly warned Netanyahu in late September 2023 that Hamas was planning a major assault against Israel.
According to the reports, Netanyahu did not mention the warning during a security assessment meeting held with defense chiefs on October 1, 2023. Five former Israeli senior officials stated that the crucial warning never reached the heads of the defense establishment and was entirely omitted from internal military and intelligence probes.
