Netanyahu polls at 'historic' lows following bombshell Oct 7 claims

Amid a fraught election campaign and fast-declining popularity, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has launched a libel lawsuit over an Israeli newspaper's claims that he was given prior warning about the Hamas October 7th attacks that killed 1,200 and sparked the ongoing Gaza conflict.

Haaretz, a left-leaning Israeli publication that is vocally critical against Netanyahu and the war in Gaza, published a bombshell report on September 8 alleging that UAE President bin Zayed had called Netanyahu a week and a half before the Hamas attacks. 

The report went on to say that in the 45 minute conversation, bin Zayed conveyed concerns that a "major operation" led by Hamas' now-deceased leader Yahya Sinwar would result in considerable bloodshed, destabilizing the region and undermining the Abraham Accords. 

Despite the UAE ruler allegedly telling Netanyahu that Israel "should be ready", the warning fell on deaf ears alleges the Haaretz report, with the prime minister instead saying that Israel was prepared for any scenario. 

Netanyahu instructs lawyers in defamation lawsuit

In response to Haaretz's claims, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) posted to X that the "press reports are false" and that "no warning was given to the Prime Minister from the United Arab Emirates before October 7th." 

He has since instructed lawyers to begin defamation proceedings against Haaretz and the authors of the report, Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yaval, with demands to redact the article, for an apology to be issued and for a one million shekel ($328,000) reimbursement "for settlement purposes," with further threats of a 2.5 million shekels ($821,000) lawsuit.

Haaretz have rejected Netanyahu's claims, stating that the prime minister's "sole purpose is to silence journalistic criticism". 

The UAE Foreign Ministry has also put out a statement saying they do not comment on specific conversations, but pass on information when it becomes available. 

They have not denied the reports that a conversation between bin Zayed and Netanyahu occurred in the lead up to October 7.  

'Security forces are to blame'

The publication of the report on Tuesday has caused consternation across Israel, with critics saying Netanyahu failed to pass vital information onto Israel's security agency Shin Bet, which could have minimised or even prevented October 7. 

Netanyahu has long insisted that the blame for the severity of the attacks lies with his security chiefs, saying that they failed him by not waking him up during the night.

In an interview clip with Israel's Channel 14, an ultra-nationalist television station which has previously denied allegations that its coverage has incited war crimes, the prime minister doubled down on this position, saying that while security chiefs saw multiple signs of an impending attack, they did not think the threats were urgent.

He went on to allege, without proof, that the security forces felt waking Netanyahu would cause a significant military mobilisation that would result in substantial deaths on the Gaza side.

Sara Netanyahu pushes own theory against left-wing rival

Alongside the prime minister's version of events, his wife Sara Netanyahu pushed an unfounded theory that left-wing Democrats chief Yair Golan and rival for the upcoming Israeli elections had advance notice of the onslaught in his position as former deputy IDF chief of staff. 

Golan served as a major general in the Israel Defense Forces from 2008 until his retirement from active service in 2018.

Golan and Sara Netanyahu are now in a legal dispute, with Golan filing an $843,000 suit.

Six weeks from elections

With Israel's October elections just six weeks away, the ruling Likud Party, headed by Netanyahu, has accused Haaretz of "blatant foreign interference", while the prime minister continued on X that the story had "clear political timing, as part of the left's election campaign".

Netanyahu also appears to be responding to Haaretz's claims by promoting a message of unity.

On X, the prime minister posted an upbeat Rosh Hashanah video, saying that "there will be many arguments, there will be disagreements" but "at the moment of truth, this nation knows how to unite.”

He also stressed how all of Israel’s hostages came home this year from Gaza - a claim likely to be met with condemnation given the chequered negotiation process between Hamas and Israel and continued strikes by the Israeli military that sparked nationwide protests against the prime minister. 

Of the 251 people taken into Gaza as hostages on October 7, 87 died either in the attacks or during captivity. Israel and Hamas trade blame over responsibility for their deaths.

The latest opinion poll published by the Israeli paper Maariv newspaper shows that Netanyahu’s Likud is in the midst of a "historic collapse", with the worst ratings since May 2025. 

The survey by Lazar Research, was conducted on September 9-10, and concluded that Likud would win 19 seats if elections were held on the 11th, down from 21 in a poll conducted on Monday.

In contrast, former army chief Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party remains the largest party per the poll, with his 25 seats unchanged from Monday’s survey.