{
  "id": 6469661,
  "title": "Dermer denies Netanyahu, UAE leader spoke before October 7 massacre, war",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/dermer-denies-netanyahu-uae-leader-spoke-before-october-7-massacre-war",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-09T20:36:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-908166"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer categorically rejected the notion that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a conversation with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed prior to the October 7 massacre, characterizing such reports as \"fiction.\" At the MEAD Conference in Washington, Dermer, a close confidant of Netanyahu and a key figure in Israel's ties with the US and Gulf states, stated he would have been aware of any such call. \"If there had been a conversation, I would have been part of it, because one of the tasks assigned to me was to expand the Abraham Accords and strengthen the partnership with the United Arab Emirates,\" he said. Dermer emphasized he was certain all discussions between Netanyahu and bin Zayed had been either briefed to him or directly participated in by him, dismissing the lack of a conversation as a non-issue. \"It is not even a question of the content of the conversation,\" he stated. \"I don't believe there was a conversation at all. And certainly, that content was not discussed.\" Dermer was unsure of the story's origin, noting both Israel and the UAE had firmly denied it. \"I think the Emiratis have made clear that it did not happen. We have made clear that it did not happen,\" he remarked. \"So it is simply fiction—a made-up story.\"",
  "summary": "Dermer, one of Netanyahu’s closest confidants and a central figure in Israel’s relations with the US and the Gulf states, said he would have known had such a call taken place.",
  "key_points": [
    "Ron Dermer denies Netanyahu spoke to UAE leader before October 7 massacre.",
    "Dermer characterizes reports as fiction, stating he would have been aware of any call.",
    "Dermer dismisses lack of conversation as non-issue, calling story fiction."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "Netanyahu threatens legal action over Haaretz report on UAE warning before 7 October",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/netanyahu-threatens-legal-action-over-haaretz-report-on-uae-warning",
        "published": "2026-09-09T10:01:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Times of Israel",
        "title": "Netanyahu says he’ll sue Haaretz over report UAE leader warned him days before Oct. 7",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/netanyahu-says-hell-sue-haaretz-over-report-uae-leader-warned-him",
        "published": "2026-09-09T14:22:48.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}