Frankfurt (Germany), 8 Sept. (LaPresse) – The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has categorically rejected allegations that the Prime Minister was warned by the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, of Hamas’s plans prior to the attack on 7 October 2023. “A complete lie. Prime Minister Netanyahu did not speak to the President of the UAE during the period in question and did not receive any warning from him,” Netanyahu’s office stated. Ronen Bar, then head of the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, and Herzi Halevi, then Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces, also stated that they had not been informed of any warning from the President of the UAE. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, however, maintained that the findings of the *Haaretz* investigation are true and that Netanyahu was warned about ten days before 7 October of the intentions of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Bennett spoke of the Prime Minister’s “personal and direct responsibility” and of “criminal negligence”.
Middle East: Netanyahu rejects allegations regarding 7 October: ‘A complete lie’
Frankfurt (Germany), 8 Sept. (LaPresse) – The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has categorically rejected allegations that the Prime Minister was warned by the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, of Hamas’s plans prior to the attack on 7 October 2023. “A complete lie. Prime Minister Netanyahu did not speak to the President of the UAE during the period in question and did not receive any warning from him,” Netanyahu’s office stated. Ronen Bar, then head of the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, and Herzi Halevi, then Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces, also stated that they had not been informed of any warning from the President of the UAE. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, however, maintained that the findings of the *Haaretz* investigation are true and that Netanyahu was warned about ten days before 7 October of the intentions of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Bennett spoke of the Prime Minister’s “personal and direct responsibility” and of “criminal negligence”.