- Libyan Prime Minister Suspends Foreign Minister Over Meeting with Israeli Counterpart
- Israel Seeks to Establish Diplomatic Relations with Libya
- Controversy Surrounding the Meeting and Responses from Israel and Libya
The Libyan prime minister suspended his minister of foreign affairs after she conferred with her Israeli counterpart.
Libya, a Palestinian ally, does not recognise Israel, and the meeting sparked protests.
Israeli Prime Minister Eli Cohen stated that the “historic” meeting was “the first step” in establishing diplomatic relations with Libya.
Israel is striving to strengthen ties with Arab and Muslim-majority nations that do not recognize it officially.
However, the Libyan presidential council, which represents the country’s three provinces, stated that normalizing relations with Israel was illegal.
The Speaker’s Office in parliament accused Najla Mangoush of high treason, prompting Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah to investigate.
Israel’s announcement that it had held negotiations with Libya, a sworn enemy and supporter of the Palestinian cause, particularly under former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, came as a surprise.
The statement’s uncommon level of specificity may have been intended to counter any anticipated denial from the Libyan side; it also identified and thanked Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani for hosting the Rome meeting.
Libya’s foreign ministry claimed the meeting was accidental, but an Israeli official indicated it was arranged.
The official emphasized that the two parties agreed on what would be highlighted in the published statement, which he said was originally scheduled to be issued on Monday but was released on Sunday after the story was leaked to Israeli media.
Yair Lapid, the leader of the Israeli opposition, accused the Israeli foreign ministry of being “amateurish and irresponsible” and of committing a “grave error in judgment.”
Benny Gantz, another opposition leader, accused the Israeli government of doing “everything for PR and headlines, with no sense of responsibility or foresight.”
On Sunday, Mr. Cohen said he met Ms. Mangoush at a summit late last week. Where they discussed “the great potential for relations” between Israel and Libya.
According to him, they discussed Israeli assistance with humanitarian issues, agriculture, water management, and the significance of preserving Jewish heritage in Libya, including the renovation of synagogues and cemeteries.
The Jewish community in Libya was one of the oldest in the globe. Nazi occupants harassed it during World War II, and tens of thousands fled to Israel after antisemitic riots and policies. Gaddafi harassed Libya’s little Jewish community until it disappeared by the turn of the century.
Contrary to Mr. Cohen’s assertion, Libya’s foreign ministry stated that Ms. Mangoush had rebuffed a meeting with Israeli representatives and that what had occurred was “an unplanned, casual encounter during a meeting at Italy’s foreign affairs ministry.”
The interaction did not involve any discussions, agreements, or consultations, according to a statement, and the ministry “reiterates its complete and absolute rejection of normalization” with Israel.
Following the announcement of the meeting, demonstrations erupted in Tripoli and other cities. Roads were blocked, tyres were burned, and Palestinian flags were waved, but the protests were small.
For years, Libya has been divided between the internationally recognised interim government in Tripoli and a parallel east authority.
An Israel-Libya accord would be complicated by the political rift that has formed since Gaddafi’s removal twelve years ago.
Gen. Khalifa Haftar of the Libyan National Army (LNA) leads the rival administration in Tobruk, located on the eastern coast.
Israel has sought formal connections with moderate Arab League nations and longtime foes in recent years.
Since 2020, it has ratified the Abraham Accords, brokered by the United States. Which normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. The Palestinians are outraged by the agreements and have accused the Arab signatories of betrayal.
Sunday evening, the Presidential Council of Libya demanded “clarification” from the government regarding what had occurred. The Presidential Council is in control of the military and carries out the duties of the head of state.
In a letter, the organization stated that the meeting between the two foreign ministers “does not reflect the foreign policy of the Libyan state, does not represent the Libyan national constants, and is a violation of Libyan laws that criminalize normalization with the ‘Zionist entity’.”
It also requested that Mr. Dbeibah “apply the law if the meeting occurs.”
