White House Unaware of UAE Warning Prior to October 7 Attack, Sources Say

Two sources familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday that the Biden administration had no knowledge of a specific warning from the United Arab Emirates regarding Hamas’s plans for a major terror attack before the October 7 massacre.

The sources also stated that administration officials did not learn of any such UAE warning even after the attack occurred.

While the administration’s lack of awareness does not confirm that the UAE never communicated a message to Israeli leadership, it is logical to assume that a significant warning would have been relayed to Washington, either before or certainly after the massacre.

These statements follow a Haaretz report published on Tuesday, which revealed that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for roughly 45 minutes over a week before the massacre.

During the call, MBZ reportedly informed Netanyahu that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning a “major move” against Israel and warned that the incident could cause bloodshed, destabilize the region, and jeopardize the Abraham Accords.

The report further stated that then-CIA director William Burns was told by MBZ that he had attempted to convey to Netanyahu that “something is about to explode” in the region.

Despite these assertions, Biden administration officials maintained they were unaware of any specific warning.

It is worth noting that the UAE did caution senior US and Israeli officials that Israeli actions and rhetoric were “putting regional stability at risk” in the lead-up to the massacre.

In March 2023, UAE advisor Khaldoon al-Mubarak visited Israel and warned senior officials that the government’s direction was “in complete contradiction to the Abraham Accords” and that some politicians were “encouraging violence.”

“This runs contrary to the spirit of the agreements and the current conduct, and puts regional stability at risk,” Mubarak stated at the time.

“The UAE’s engagement since October 7 has consistently been aimed at de-escalation, regional stability, and preventing violence,” the UAE’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

“Officials in the UAE and Israel have maintained open and direct lines of communication since the beginning of relations more than five years ago. Whenever necessary, all relevant intelligence has been and continues to be shared between the relevant parties,” the ministry added.

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