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Libya’s Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah said Sunday that he had suspended the country’s foreign minister and referred her to an investigation, following an Israeli announcement saying the top diplomat held a meeting with her Israeli counterpart last week in Rome.
Libya has no diplomatic relations with Israel, like several other Arab countries.
Israel’s statement announcing the meeting suggested the two parties had discussed possible cooperation, including Israeli aid in humanitarian issues, agriculture and water management.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen also said he stressed to his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Mangoush the importance of preserving Jewish heritage in her country. The talks were facilitated by the Italian foreign minister.
What was the reaction in Libya?
The Israeli announcement prompted small protests in Libya.
Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah’s Government of National Unity announced in a Facebook statement the decision to “temporarily suspend” Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush, handing over the foreign ministry portfolio to the youth minister.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministry said in a statement on its Facebook page that Mangoush had rejected any meetings with Israeli representatives, in line with the stance of the Government of National Unity.
The Libyan foreign ministry described it as a “chance and unofficial encounter. What happened in Rome was an unofficial meeting that was not pre-planned,” the ministry said, adding that the meeting, which took place during talks with the Italian foreign minister, did not involve any agreements.
In recent years, Israel has normalized its diplomatic ties with several Arab countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
rmt/jsi (AFP, Reuters)
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