Reported Netanyahu-UAE Meeting: Oct. 7 Warning Claim, Denial & Election Facts

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu journeyed to the United Arab Emirates on September 27, 2026, for a meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to multiple Israeli news sources. The visit was first reported by Channel 12 and later confirmed by a diplomatic source to The Jerusalem Post. A senior Israeli official also verified the meeting to Reuters.

After departing from Ben-Gurion Airport, Netanyahu landed in Abu Dhabi at 3:10 p.m. He spent about four hours in the UAE before returning to Israel on a private executive jet at 7:10 p.m. The Prime Minister's Office did not disclose details about the discussions. The visit occurred amid a controversy in Israel over a September 8, 2026, Haaretz investigation.

The report alleged that bin Zayed had warned Netanyahu in late September 2023 about a potential major attack by Hamas. The investigation cited dozens of sources and documents, stating that bin Zayed told Netanyahu that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar planned an operation causing significant bloodshed and regional instability. Netanyahu allegedly did not share the warning with Israel's security chiefs.

However, the Prime Minister's Office denied the Haaretz report, calling it part of a "sinister plot" timed with the left's election campaign. The office instructed Netanyahu's lawyers to pursue defamation proceedings against Haaretz and its journalists. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not confirmed or denied the warning claim, stating it does not comment on such media stories or speculation.

The controversy has become a major issue in Israel's upcoming election, scheduled for October 27, 2026. Recent polls indicate Netanyahu's Likud party trailing behind the opposition, with 48% of respondents preferring opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot as prime minister. Opposition leaders have used the Haaretz report to criticize Netanyahu, accusing him of ignoring warnings for the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack.