UPROAR IN LIBYA OVER REPORTED TALKS WITH ISRAEL; FOREIGN MINISTER SUSPENDED

Tue 29 August 2023:

Protests have erupted in Libya after Israel said its foreign minister had met with his Libyan counterpart despite the two countries having no formal diplomatic links, Libyan media reported.

Libya’s Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibeh suspended Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush after she met with Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen, news portal al-Wasat Gate reported.

Meanwhile, the Libyan Foreign Ministry denied Mangoush had held formal talks with Cohen and said the meeting in Rome was a “casual, non-official and previously unprepared meeting.”

In an online statement, the ministry said it “fully and categorically” rejected any normalization of relations with Israel.

Under a 1957 Libyan law, dealing with Israel is punishable by up to nine years in prison.

“It was decided to suspend Libyan Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush and to launch an investigation against her,” said a decree published by the Government of National Unity.

On Saturday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said a “historic meeting” was held last week between the foreign ministers of Israel and Libya.

Pointing out that the meeting was the first between the foreign ministers of the two countries, it said they discussed the historical ties between the two nations, the legacy of the Libyan Jews, and the possibility of cooperation between their countries.

Dbeibeh appointed Fathallah Al-Zani, the current youth minister, as interim foreign minister and referred al-Mangoush to an investigation panel.

The Libyan Foreign Ministry later released a statement saying the meeting between al-Mangoush and her Israeli counterpart was “not official.”

“This was an informal and impromptu meeting that took place in Rome during the meeting with the Italian foreign minister. It did not involve any discussion, agreement or consultation,” it said.

The parliament based in eastern Libya called for an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss what it termed as the “legal and ethical crime against the Libyan people,” referring to the reported encounter.

Protesters reportedly set fire to the residence of Dbeibeh and called for his resignation on Sunday night. It was not immediately clear if Dbeibeh was at the residence.

Libya has been in turmoil since the overthrow of dictator Moamer Gaddafi in 2011. Countless militias are still fighting for power and influence in the oil-rich country. The conflict is further fuelled by foreign states.

Currently, two rival governments are fighting for power in the country. All diplomatic efforts to settle the conflict peacefully have failed so far.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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