Netanyahu sues Israeli media groups for alleging prior knowledge of Oct 7

Netanyahu describes the allegations as “two blood libels” and maintains that the reported contacts never occurred.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has filed a NIS 2.6 million ($850,000) defamation lawsuit in Jerusalem District Court against three major Israeli media groups and six journalists over reports claiming he received and disregarded warnings from foreign leaders before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.

The lawsuit, submitted by attorney Uriel Nizri, challenges reports concerning alleged warnings from UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed (MbZ) and former Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel.

Netanyahu describes the allegations as “two blood libels” and maintains that the reported contacts never occurred.

“No meeting and/or conversation whatsoever took place between the Prime Minister and the President of the United Arab Emirates, nor did any meeting and/or conversation take place between the Prime Minister and Egyptian Intelligence Minister Abbas Kamel on the dates alleged or at any point between the beginning of September 2023 and October 7, 2023,” the lawsuit states.

According to the Times of Israel, the case targets media organizations including Haaretz, Yedioth Aharonoth and Channel 14/others. Journalists Shlomi Eldar, Ruti Yuval, Uri Misgav, Nadav Eyal, Barak Ravid and Attila Somfalvi are also named as defendants.

The Prime Minister’s Office has characterized the reports as part of a fabricated political campaign, maintaining that Netanyahu had neither the alleged conversations nor meetings during the period cited.

Separately, former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar has said he intends to bring his own defamation case against Netanyahu, accusing the prime minister of conducting an unbridled campaign of incitement and deflection.

Netanyahu has accused Bar of receiving information about the threat before the Hamas attack but failing to alert him or respond adequately.

“Ronen Bar decided not to call and update the Prime Minister, not to alert the readiness squads and IDF forces in the field, not to evacuate the Nova festival,” Netanyahu wrote on social media. He alleged that Bar instead sent a small team to deal with the threat.

Netanyahu dismissed Bar in March 2025, citing a loss of trust. The move sparked mass protests and was temporarily blocked by the Supreme Court.

Bar later accepted responsibility for the Shin Bet’s failures surrounding the October 7 attack and resigned in June 2025.