Netanyahu, awake?
Sima Kadmon wonders how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu managed to fall asleep in the face of the numerous warnings that preceded October 7, focusing on a Haaretz report about a warning call allegedly made by UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed to Netanyahu in late September 2023. Kadmon analyzes the UAE's response, which is not an outright denial, and notes that the absence of a state commission of inquiry leaves the public without a means of clarification.
Sima Kadmon writes that the relevant question is not when or why Netanyahu was not woken up on October 7, but how he managed to fall asleep in the first place. She refers to a Haaretz report that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed called Netanyahu in late September 2023, spoke with him for 45 minutes, and warned him that Sinwar was preparing a surprise. According to the investigation, Netanyahu reassured him that the main danger was in the West Bank and did not bother to inform the head of the Shin Bet, the head of the Mossad, and the Chief of Staff. Kadmon notes that the UAE's response, which is not an outright denial, raises suspicion: someone who did not speak would have denied it vehemently. She argues that the absence of a state commission of inquiry leaves the public without a tool to verify the truth of the matter. The column also deals with the political implications, the affair of Netanyahu's slots, and Eli Goldschmidt's move from the left to the right.