The October 7 warning

News · Heat 1.0 / 10 · 3 shows · 24m airtime

Haaretz alleged on September 8 that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed warned Netanyahu ten days before October 7 of a major Hamas operation, based on three senior foreign sources describing a 45-minute call. Netanyahu denies the call and has instructed his attorneys to file a libel suit against Haaretz journalist Shlomi Eldar. The alleged warning reached Shin Bet on September 15 and was briefed to Netanyahu by Ronan Barr, with a security meeting two days later ending without a chosen response. Two people with knowledge of the call now corroborate it, while five former Israeli officials say they were not informed. The Wall Street Journal has since reported that Egypt also warned Netanyahu of impending attacks before October 7, and…

How 3 podcasts covered it

1. The Megyn Kelly Show, 2026-09-10 (14:22 to 18:25)
   Walks through the Haaretz investigation and the denials
   Reads through the Haaretz investigation in full: the alleged 45-minute Bin Zayed call, the Palestinian intermediary, Sinwar's 'zilzal' message reaching Shin Bet on September 15, Barr's briefing of Netanyahu, and the security meeting that ended without a decision - plus Netanyahu's denial, his libel suit against Shlomi Eldar, and the UAE ministry's non-denial.
   New angle: The alleged warning reached Shin Bet on September 15 and was briefed to Netanyahu by Ronan Barr; a security meeting two days later ended without a chosen response.
2. The Megyn Kelly Show, 2026-09-28 (7:20 to 10:04)
   Adds Times corroboration of the UAE call
   Adds the New York Times corroboration and the Atlantic's Egypt thread: two people with knowledge confirm the UAE call, five former Israeli officials say they were never told, and minutes from an October 1 meeting show Netanyahu never raised it. Also the 67-minute Kamel visit and the CIA's rocket-fire-only alerts.
   New angle: Two people with knowledge of the call corroborate the UAE warning; five former Israeli officials say they were not informed of it.
3. Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar, 2026-09-29 (28:58 to 38:24)
   Adds the Journal's Egypt warning to the record
   Adds the Wall Street Journal's Egypt warning to the record and the New York Times detail that the UAE warning never reached Israel's security chiefs, then widens into the 2022 plans, the festival extension and the missing after-action report. Mostly retells the Haaretz and Times reporting, but the Egypt warning is new to the file.
   New angle: The Wall Street Journal reported Egypt also warned Netanyahu of impending attacks before October 7.
4. Up First, 2026-10-18 (9:17 to 13:49)
   Traces a Hamas warning relayed in September 2023
   Traces the warnings before October 7 through a Palestinian negotiator who says he relayed a Hamas warning to Israeli intelligence in mid-September 2023, and through analyst Amos Harel on Netanyahu's policy of letting money into Gaza. Adds a first-hand account of the warning channel the Haaretz report describes.
   New angle: Palestinian negotiator Sufyan Abu Zaida says he relayed a Hamas warning to Israeli intelligence in mid-September 2023.
5. Up First, 2026-10-18 (13:49 to 16:34)
   Lays out Netanyahu's post-October 7 blame campaign
   Estrin and Amos Harel lay out Netanyahu's post-October 7 blame campaign: his press people pushed responsibility onto the Shin Bet and IDF chiefs, he never admitted fault, and former officials say he stretched the war to put off the inquiry he has refused to convene.
   New angle: A former official says Netanyahu prolonged the war to delay public demand for a national commission of inquiry.