Netanyahu seeks defamation action against Haaretz over UAE warning about Hamas plan before Oct. 7 attack
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed lawyers to initiate defamation proceedings against Haaretz over reports that the UAE warned him Hamas planned a major operation days before the 7 October 2023 attacks. Netanyahu’s office rejects the claim as a “sinister plot,” while Haaretz stands by its reporting. The story intersects with Israel’s election campaign, and the UAE has not denied the underlying details, though it did not confirm the specific warning. The Oct. 7 attacks and subsequent Gaza war have dominated Israeli politics and international scrutiny.