{
  "id": 6255855,
  "title": "Netanyahu rejected Shin Bet recommendation to assassinate Sinwar before Oct. 7",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/netanyahu-rejected-shin-bet-recommendation-to-assassinate-sinwar",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-08T08:50:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-907926"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Less than a week prior to the October 7 assault, Chief of Israeli Security Agency Ronen Bar informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a targeted assassination plan for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, alongside other high-ranking officials. Bar asserted that their intelligence services had detected Hamas preparing something catastrophic, a notion described as an \"earthquake\" by the agency. Despite receiving this recommendation, Netanyahu declined to proceed with the plan. This decision gains further weight considering a recent report by Haaretz suggesting UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed also cautioned Netanyahu about a week and a half prior, warning that Sinwar was plotting a significant action against Israel. This warning came during a telephone conversation lasting approximately 45 minutes, during which the UAE President expressed apprehension about Hamas preparing for a major move that could incite violence, destabilize the region, and potentially undermine the Abraham Accords.",
  "summary": "Ronen Bar warned Netanyahu of a possible Hamas \"earthquake\" before October 7 and urged the prime minister to approve strikes on the group's senior leadership.",
  "key_points": [
    "Israeli Shin Bet recommended assassination of Sinwar before Oct. 7.",
    "Netanyahu rejected the assassination plan despite intel of imminent catastrophe.",
    "UAE President warned Netanyahu of Sinwar's plot a week and a half prior."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Netanyahu's rejection of the Shin Bet recommendation to assassinate Sinwar suggests that he may have underestimated the threat posed by Hamas, potentially contributing to Israel's vulnerability to the October 7 assault.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}