A new report claims that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shortly before the October 7 massacre that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was preparing an “earthquake,” raising explosive new questions about what information reached Israel’s leadership in the weeks before the attack.

According to an investigation published by Haaretz and detailed in a new book by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval, bin Zayed contacted Netanyahu approximately a week and a half before October 7 for an unusual conversation that reportedly lasted about 45 minutes.

The report claims that the UAE president told Netanyahu that information had reached him indicating Sinwar was preparing a major move, described as an “earthquake.” Bin Zayed reportedly feared that the development could lead to bloodshed, destabilize the region and endanger the Abraham Accords.

According to the report, Netanyahu interpreted the warning as possibly referring to an escalation in Yehuda and Shomron and assured bin Zayed that Israel was prepared for any scenario. The investigation further alleges that Netanyahu did not pass the purported warning to then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar or Mossad director David Barnea.

The report also claims that the Shin Bet had separately received intelligence on September 15, 2023, indicating that Sinwar was preparing an “earthquake.” Bar subsequently briefed Netanyahu, according to the report, and security discussions were held, although officials reportedly did not know what Sinwar was planning.

Netanyahu, however, issued a categorical denial of the central claim, insisting that no such conversation with bin Zayed took place and that he received no warning from the UAE president.

“Complete fake. There was no conversation and there was no warning,” Netanyahu said in comments to Yinon Magal.

Netanyahu argued that a conversation of such significance could not have occurred without an official Israeli representative present or without documentation.

“There is no such thing as a conversation like this without an NSC representative or someone else in the room,” Netanyahu said. “These are not private conversations. There is no conversation where I am alone. There would be a record, and there is no way such a conversation wouldn’t be recorded. It never happened.”

The Prime Minister’s Office similarly rejected the report, saying Netanyahu did not speak with bin Zayed during the period in question and received no warning from him.

The allegations have triggered a political firestorm, with opposition figures seizing on the report to demand answers over what Netanyahu knew in the weeks preceding the October 7 massacre. Netanyahu and his office maintain that the alleged UAE warning never occurred.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)