Netanyahu Admits Egyptian Intelligence Chief Visited Israel, Demands Identity of His Interlocutors

The issue of Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel's visit to Israel prior to the October 7, 2023 attack has resurfaced after the Israeli prime minister admitted to the visit and stated he did not meet Kamel.

According to "Yedioth Ahronoth," Netanyahu acknowledged that the head of Egyptian intelligence visited Israel before October 7, noting that Kamel had warned at the time of a major attack Hamas was preparing. He demanded the disclosure of the identity of the person who met with the Egyptian official during his stay in the country.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that he did not meet Kamel nor speak with him.

According to the newspaper, an aircraft linked to the Egyptian intelligence service landed at Ben Gurion Airport on the morning of September 26, 2023, shortly before 10:00 AM, and departed for Cairo approximately 67 minutes later. Recent reports have linked this visit to an Egyptian warning about Hamas preparations for a large-scale attack, along with a call for Israel to take economic steps to avoid escalation.

Netanyahu: I Did Not Meet Abbas Kamel

Netanyahu confirmed that he did not speak with Abbas Kamel nor meet him, questioning the identity of the Israeli official who met with him. He stated that he asked security agencies and relevant authorities to investigate the details of the meeting.

Netanyahu's remarks raised questions within Israel regarding why footage from Ben Gurion Airport cameras was not reviewed, which, according to "Yedioth Ahronoth," could help identify those who met with the Egyptian intelligence chief during his brief stay in Israel.

The matter gains additional significance in light of statements by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, who noted that Abbas Kamel arrived in Israel 11 days before the October 7 attack, demanding the disclosure of the person he met and the content of their conversations.

Contradiction Regarding the Nature of the Relationship

The visit also brought back into focus Netanyahu's statements denying direct meetings between himself and the Egyptian intelligence chief, despite having previously received Abbas Kamel in Jerusalem in 2021, when photos of their meeting were published.

This raises questions within Israel about the nature of communications during the September 2023 visit, and whether the Egyptian warning actually reached the highest political level.

Israeli and American press reports had previously mentioned Egyptian warnings preceding the October 7 attack. The Atlantic magazine reported that Abbas Kamel's short and exceptional visit on September 26 carried a warning message regarding Hamas preparations for a major attack, while the Wall Street Journal reported that Kamel contacted Netanyahu in the early days of October and warned him of an imminent attack from the Gaza Strip.

However, Netanyahu strongly denies receiving a call from the Egyptian intelligence chief, making the determination of the nature of communications during that period a central point in the current Israeli controversy.

Source: Yedioth Ahronoth