Hillary Clinton says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might have wanted Hamas to carry out the October 7 attacks ‘so that he could come down hard and enhance his position’

A recent investigative report alleges that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a warning that Hamas was planning a major attack shortly before October 7, 2023, prompting former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to question his handling of the alleged intelligence and suggest that Netanyahu either dismissed it or wanted the assault to happen in a bid to strengthen his political position.

Speaking on MS NOW’s Morning Joe on September 10, Clinton said the allegations made in the report by Haaretz represented a “failure of leadership” by Netanyahu.

Her comments came after Netanyahu strongly denied the report and said he intends to sue the outlet.

Clinton raises possibility of Netanyahu benefiting politically

Clinton said the Haaretz report raised troubling questions about Netanyahu’s response to an alleged warning from UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, commonly known as MBZ, about Hamas’ plans.

“I love Israel, and I hate Netanyahu’s government and his policies. I love America, and I hate [President Donald] Trump’s government and policies,” Clinton said.

Discussing what she called the “bombshell” report, she said, “Either he didn’t believe it, or, it’s horrible to say, he wanted to see what they could plan so that he could come down hard and enhance his position.”

Clinton acknowledged, “I don’t know what his thinking was,” adding, “but the bottom line… this was a failure of leadership. This was a failure of protecting the people of Israel.”

Haaretz report alleges Netanyahu was warned before October 7

The Haaretz investigation, based on the book Hostages: 843 Days of Abandonment by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval, alleges that the UAE president spoke with Netanyahu for about 45 minutes about 10 days before the October 7 attack in Israel.

The attack killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken to Gaza. According to Palestinian health authorities, more than 73,000 people have since been killed in the war that ensued.

According to the report, MBZ warned Netanyahu that then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning a major operation that could cause bloodshed, destabilize the region and undermine the Abraham Accords.

Haaretz reported that Netanyahu reacted calmly and did not pass on the alleged warning to senior Israeli security officials. An Emirati source subsequently told The Times of Israel that the alleged conversation took place.

Hillary Clinton: "I love Israel, and I hate Netanyahu's government and his policies. I love America, and I hate Trump's government and policies … if the Israelis want to vote for that again, then I think the United States has to take a very tough position." pic.twitter.com/a7wKmZ4pEG

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 10, 2026

Netanyahu, however, has rejected the allegation, saying no such warning was given and that he did not speak with MBZ during the period in question. He also called the Haaretz report “a wicked fabrication” with “clear political timing,” as it came weeks before elections in Israel.

The nation is scheduled to elect its 120-seat Knesset, the country’s parliament, on October 27, with polls suggesting a competitive contest. The vote will determine which parties can form a governing coalition and whether Netanyahu can stay in office.

Netanyahu faces political pressure

The report has fueled criticism from Israeli opposition figures. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Netanyahu had “personal and direct responsibility” for the failures surrounding October 7, while opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot accused him of ignoring warnings and called him “unfit” for office.

Netanyahu has continued to reject demands for an official independent inquiry into the failures preceding the attack.

Not all the allegations in the Haaretz report have gone unanswered. Former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken rejected a separate claim concerning his handling of an alleged hostage-release offer on October 7, writing, “For the record, this is false. Complete fiction.”

Clinton discusses potential change in Israeli government

Clinton also discussed how the U.S. should approach Israel following the country’s October election. “If Israelis want to vote for that again, then I think the United States has to take a very tough position. I think we could work with the new government,” she said.

She also called for stronger action against settler violence, saying, “I would hope a new prime minister would crack down on settler violence in the West Bank,” and that “there should be no impunity for that kind of violence.”

She added, “Anytime you let people have that level of violence in a society that you don’t stop, that creeps into the whole society. It’s unfair, bad, wrong for the Palestinians, and it’s also very dangerous to Israel.”