Netanyahu Meets Muslim Nations in UAE, Denies Prior October 7 Warning

General17 sourcesSep 29, 2026

SplitFactual rigor 57/100

The Story

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with representatives from nine Middle Eastern and North African countries during a secret visit to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, last week.

The Sunday meeting was confirmed by Israel and the UAE, with Israeli Channel 14 reporting the trip involved a meeting with representatives from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Kuwait, Bahrain, Libya, Oman, and Egypt, along with the United States. Discussions centered on Iran, strengthening Israeli-Gulf ties, economic issues, and Israeli defense systems. Of the eight Muslim nations, only Egypt, the UAE, Morocco, and Bahrain have official relations with Israel.

Israeli media reported Netanyahu flew to the UAE to ask Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to deny having given him a warning in 2023 about Hamas's attack. The Prime Minister's Office called an Associated Press report about discussing prior warnings fake news. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu filed a libel suit against Haaretz and other media outlets over a report that he received a warning before the October 7 Hamas attack.

Multiple reports claim Netanyahu was personally warned Hamas was planning a major operation before its October 7, 2023, attack. The New York Times confirmed information by Haaretz that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed secretly alerted Netanyahu about an impending offensive. The Atlantic reported Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel secretly visited Israel 11 days before the attack to warn of a Hamas offensive.

Former defense minister Yoav Gallant said then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had warned Israel before the attacks that he would shake the prisons. Netanyahu has denied these reports, calling allegations of prior warning an absolute lie. He has rejected calls for an official government inquiry into the events surrounding the October 7 attack. Netanyahu warned on Tuesday that Israel's enemies may try to attack leading up to October's Knesset elections, stating, "Don't mess with us. Our long arm will reach you anywhere, and at any time." Opposition leader Yair Lapid demanded a briefing from Netanyahu and security officials regarding the threat.

What they agree on

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the United Arab Emirates on September 27, meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Netanyahu's office confirmed the visit, stating discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations and regional challenges.
Multiple reports claim Netanyahu was personally warned about an impending Hamas attack before October 7, 2023.
Netanyahu has publicly denied receiving any advance warning about the October 7, 2023, attack, calling the allegations "an absolute lie."
Israeli media reported that a purpose of Netanyahu's UAE visit was to ask the Emirati President to publicly deny having given him a warning in 2023.

Where they split

Israeli media outlets provided different, sometimes contradictory, details about the participants in Netanyahu's meeting in Abu Dhabi, with Channel 14 listing eight Muslim nations and the United States, while Ynet "apparently" included Jordan and Qatar.
Coverage varies on the primary focus of Netanyahu's UAE visit; some articles emphasize his request for the UAE President to deny prior warning reports, while others highlight discussions on Iran, strengthening Israeli-Gulf ties, and regional challenges.
Some sources, like The Jerusalem Post, focus on Netanyahu's warning about potential attacks ahead of elections, including details about opposition leader Yair Lapid's demand for a briefing, while others, such as Africanews, prioritize the reports of prior warnings about the October 7 attack.