Despite pre-Oct. 7 warning, PM told aides striking Gaza could harm Saudi normalization talks — NYT

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s goal should be to maintain calm in Gaza so as not to thwart a potential normalization deal with Saudi Arabia, at a security meeting six days before the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, massacre, and after he personally received a warning over a potential Hamas attack from UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, The New York Times reports.

Netanyahu did not mention the warning at the meeting with top security officials, instead warning that any major attack on Gaza would sabotage efforts to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia, The New York Times reports, citing minutes from the meeting.

The prime minister’s position came in contrast to those of some of the security officials present, who advocated for strikes against senior leaders of Hamas directing terror activities in the West Bank, the report says.

Earlier this month, The Times of Israel confirmed a Haaretz daily report that some 10 days before the Hamas-led massacre, Netanyahu was personally warned by the leader of the UAE that Hamas was planning a major offensive move against Israel, but did not update Israeli security leaders and did nothing with the information.

Netanyahu has denied the claim and has threatened to sue Haaretz, though he has yet to actually do so.