Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling Likud party has alleged that senior Palestinian official Mohammed Dahlan was the mastermind behind a controversial Haaretz report. The report claimed that Netanyahu had been forewarned by the United Arab Emirates about the impending Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Likud party issued a statement accusing Dahlan of utilizing the Haaretz report to interfere in Israel's elections. The party suggested that Dahlan, who is currently based in the Emirates, is collaborating with Hamas as part of a joint electoral list for upcoming Palestinian legislative elections. The goal, they claim, is to destabilize Netanyahu's government and gain control over Gaza.
Likud's statement further alleged that Dahlan is striving for a weaker left-wing Israeli government, potentially led by figures such as former Israeli army chief Gadi Eisenkot, former deputy army chief Yair Golan, former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and the Arab parties. Such a government, according to the statement, would cede control of Gaza to Dahlan.
The party also accused journalist Shlomi Eldar of receiving payment from a left-wing organization linked to Yair Golan's Democrats party to disseminate misleading information. Moreover, Likud questioned a recent secret visit by Yair Golan and Ronen Bar to the United Arab Emirates, speculating about its connection to the Haaretz report.
In response to these allegations, Likud has called for a criminal investigation into Eldar, journalist Ruth Yuval, Haaretz, Yair Golan, and the Democrats party for purportedly attempting to interfere in Israel's elections with the help of foreign entities.
The controversy stems from the Haaretz report's assertion that Netanyahu failed to act on a warning from the UAE about the October 7 attack. This report has fueled demands from Israeli opposition leaders, including Naftali Bennett, Eisenkot, Lieberman, and Golan, for an immediate state commission of inquiry into the events surrounding the attack.
In their joint statement, the opposition leaders emphasized the public's right to understand what transpired before, during, and after the attack. They accused Netanyahu of neglecting significant warnings and vowed to establish a state commission of inquiry if they assume power in the next government.
Amidst mounting criticism over his government's response to the October 7 events, Netanyahu has resisted calls for an inquiry, arguing that accountability should be addressed post-war.