Allied Intelligence — 2026-09-30

Shin Bet Files Complaint Demanding Prosecution of Channel 12 Over Leak of Netanyahu Secret UAE Visit

BLUFDespite the Shin Bet's formal complaint, a criminal investigation into Channel 12 over the leaked Netanyahu UAE trip is very unlikely by October 31, as the Military Censor lacks prosecutorial authority and the outlet contests the government's timeline.

The Prime Minister's Office said Monday that the Shin Bet filed a complaint with the IDF Military Censor demanding legal action against Channel 12 over its report on Netanyahu's Sunday trip to Abu Dhabi, and confirmed for the first time that he met Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed 12. The PMO said the report aired at 9:38 p.m., while his plane landed at 10:27 p.m., and that a Mossad assessment called it a serious threat to the delegation 12. The delegation included Sara Netanyahu, Mossad director Roman Gofman, National Security Council head Shmuel Ben-Ezra, and Military Secretary Maj. Gen. Guy Markizeno 1. According to i24NEWS, Channel 12 disputes the timeline and says it broadcast after Netanyahu had returned to Israel 3.

Analysis
A criminal investigation into Channel 12 or its journalists over the UAE visit report is very unlikely by October 31. The Military Censor can refer a case but cannot open a criminal file, so any action would require the Attorney General or police to move against a major broadcaster, and the network's challenge to the timeline weakens the case. Confidence is moderate: the timing claims are one-sided, all outlets except i24NEWS repeat a single PMO account, and there is no public sign of a censor referral or any Attorney General response. The PMO's first confirmation of the bin Zayed meeting is the real shift. The complaint may instead aim to deter future Gulf-contact disclosures and divert attention from the reported pre-October 7 warning. A referral would push outlets to treat leaked travel details as criminal risk, while none leaves this a censorship-board dispute.

4 sources