Israeli Opposition Demands Netanyahu Resign After Report of UAE Warning

Israeli opposition figures are demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s removal from office following a report claiming that the United Arab Emirates cautioned him about an imminent Hamas attack in the days leading up to the October 7, 2023 assault.

The report, excerpted from an upcoming book by Haaretz journalists, states that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan contacted Netanyahu approximately a week and a half prior to the attack to alert him that Hamas was planning a major military operation. Netanyahu’s office has dismissed the account as “an absolute lie,” denying that any such conversation took place.

Gadi Eisenkot, a former military commander and prominent rival in the upcoming October 27 elections, labeled Netanyahu “unfit” for office. He accused the prime minister of shirking responsibility for security failures and offering “pathetic” excuses, such as claiming he was not alerted quickly enough on the morning of the attack.

“Netanyahu received dozens of warnings for October 7 and ignored them all. He is unfit,” Eisenkot wrote on the social media platform X.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who is also competing in the election, stated that Netanyahu bears “personal and direct responsibility” for the casualties suffered on October 7, described as the deadliest day in Israeli history. “Netanyahu cannot continue to serve in his position for even one more minute,” Bennett said.

According to Haaretz, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar—later killed by Israel—had previously warned a former Palestinian official that militants were preparing an “earthquake”-scale operation. That official relayed the information to an Emirati advisor, who then passed it to President bin Zayed, prompting the call to Netanyahu.

The newspaper, relying primarily on anonymous sources, reported that Netanyahu responded calmly to the warning. For years, Israeli policy under Netanyahu aimed to maintain the status quo with Hamas, operating under the assumption that the Islamist group prioritized self-preservation over all-out war with Israel. This approach involved Qatar-funded payments to Hamas.

UAE-Israel ties were normalized in 2020 through the Abraham Accords, brokered during the administration of US President Donald Trump. Netanyahu has frequently cited the relationship with the UAE as a cornerstone diplomatic achievement.

The October 7 attacks resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people and the abduction of 251 hostages to Gaza, 44 of whom have since died, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli data. The subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza has destroyed much of the territory and killed 73,658 people, figures released by the Gaza health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.