Israel’s Shin Bet seeks legal action over disclosure of Netanyahu’s secret UAE visit - Anadolu Ajansı

Israel’s domestic security agency Shin Bet sought legal action Monday against Channel 12 over its disclosure of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s secret visit to the United Arab Emirates, his office said.

The Prime Minister’s Office said Shin Bet filed a complaint with the chief military censor over the broadcaster’s report, which it said was published before Netanyahu and his delegation had returned to Israel.

It claimed the disclosure endangered Netanyahu, his wife and accompanying officials, including the Mossad chief, the head of the National Security Council, Netanyahu’s military secretary and senior Shin Bet personnel.

Channel 12 reported Sunday, citing two unnamed sources, that Netanyahu traveled by private plane to Abu Dhabi, where he met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a four-hour visit.

The broadcaster said most of the meeting between Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohamed was held privately. Netanyahu’s office declined at the time to provide further details.

The visit came amid renewed scrutiny over reports that Sheikh Mohamed had warned Netanyahu before the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas that the group could be preparing a major assault.

The New York Times reported Friday that Netanyahu received such a warning but did not pass it on to Israel’s security chiefs, echoing an earlier report by Haaretz.