In the wake of a controversial report, Israeli opposition leaders are intensifying their calls for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign. The report alleges that the United Arab Emirates had warned Netanyahu about a potential Hamas operation shortly before the assault on October 7, 2023. This claim has been firmly denied by Netanyahu’s office, which described the report as false and insisted that no such conversation with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan occurred.
The allegations have fueled existing criticism of Netanyahu concerning security lapses related to the October 7 attack. Gadi Eisenkot, an opposition leader, accused Netanyahu of disregarding multiple warnings about the impending threat. Similarly, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett argued that Netanyahu is directly responsible for the security failures and should step down from his position. The report suggests that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had previously characterized the planned operation as an “earthquake.” It is claimed that the warning reached the UAE leadership via a former Palestinian official and an Emirati adviser.
The diplomatic ties between the UAE and Israel were formally established in 2020 as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords, a move that Netanyahu regarded as a significant achievement in foreign policy. However, the current situation has put a strain on the perceived success of this relationship in the context of regional security concerns.
The October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people in southern Israel, with 251 individuals taken hostage, according to Israeli reports. In response, Israel launched a military operation in Gaza, which the Gaza Health Ministry claims has led to the deaths of over 73,000 Palestinians and caused extensive devastation across the territory.