Gravitas | Netanyahu under fire, denies getting UAE's warning before Oct 7 terror attack
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Gravitas | Netanyahu under fire, denies getting UAE's warning before Oct 7 terror attack")
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, (C), and his wife, Sara, (C-R) arrive to cast their ballot at his party Likud's main polling station during primary elections ahead of Israel’s general election in October in Jerusalem on August 17, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
Netanyahu faces growing opposition criticism over October 7 accountability, Gaza war and West Bank policies ahead of Israel's general elections.
A month ahead of general elections, a fresh political row has erupted in Israel, over a report by Haaretz. This Israeli newspaper claimed that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed alerted Netanyahu about a terrifying operation by Hamas on Israel's soil a week before the October 7 attacks, but he chose to ignore this input.
Netanyahu has rubbished this claim and decided to sue this newspaper. The Israeli PM cited call records to assert that no conversation took place between the UAE President and him, from the beginning of September till October 7. Terming the story as 'fabricated', Netanyahu alleged this was a part of the opposition's election campaign.
At the same time, he pinned the blame on ex-Army Chief Herzi Halevi and former Shin Bet head Ronen Bar for not alerting him in advance, about their inputs on a possible Hamas attack.
Interestingly though, UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not outrightly deny the story, but stated that it has maintained direct lines of communication with Israeli government entities since five years. It added that all relevant intelligence continues to be shared between the two countries whenever necessary.
Now, why is this such a politically significant issue? During its terror attack on October 7, 2023, Hamas killed over one thousand two hundred Israelis and took another 251 people hostage. Subsequently, Israel commenced a brutal retaliatory offensive, reducing most of Gaza to ruins. In the last three years, IDF has killed over 73,000 Palestinians.
Despite issuing a denial, the Israeli PM faced a fierce backlash from the opposition. For instance, Yashar Party leader Gadi Eisenkot announced that a state commission of inquiry will be formed, after the formation of a new government to ascertain Netanyahu's role.
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Former PM Naftali Bennett also lashed out at Netanyahu. He said and I am quoting him, "Netanyahu bears personal & direct responsibility for, the failure that LED to the deaths of thousands of Israelis on his watch".
Even if we keep this report aside, criticism of the Israeli government has been mounting, over the lack of accountability regarding the failure, to prevent the October 7 attack. So far, Netanyahu has refused to launch, an in-depth independent investigation into this.
In April 2024, the then Military Intelligence Chief Aharon Haliva became the first senior figure to resign from his post, in the aftermath of the October 7 attack, citing his department's failure to provide a warning. In January 2025, the then Army Chief Herzi Halevi also quit, accepting that IDF had failed in its mission to protect citizens of Israel.
Listen in to what he said back then...
This was followed by the resignation of Israel military's Southern Command head Yaron Finkelman.
In November last year, Israel's Army Chief Eyal Zamir dismissed senior military personnel and reprimanded others over the October 7 attack. Those released from reserve duty included the former heads of the Intelligence Directorate, Operations Directorate and the Southern Command.
Now, the Netanyahu-led government is also facing criticism for its policies in West Bank. A day earlier, UK, France, Canada and nine other countries announced plans to block imports from Israeli settlements in West Bank.
Taking strong offence to UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband who accused Israel of turning a blind eye to, ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, the Netanyahu-led government announced the closure of Britain's consulate in East Jerusalem.
With growing global criticism of Israel's unending wars and rising domestic resentment, it seems that Netanyahu is facing a tough bid for re-election.