Libya’s rival Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah has suspended his foreign minister, Najla Mangoush, and referred her for investigation after it was revealed that she met with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in Rome last week. The meeting, which was the first-ever between the foreign ministers of Libya and Israel, has sparked widespread outrage and street protests across the North African nation. Mangoush was accused of breaching protocol and has been criticized by various political factions for meeting with Israel without consulting with her government or obtaining approval.
The meeting between Mangoush and Cohen reportedly focused on issues such as preserving Libya’s Jewish heritage, including renovating synagogues and cemeteries, as well as possible Israeli assistance for humanitarian issues, agriculture, and water management. However, the Libyan foreign ministry sought to downplay the significance of the meeting, describing it as an “unprepared and unofficial meeting during a meeting with Italy’s foreign minister.” Israel’s foreign ministry also failed to respond to reporters’ questions about the meeting, including whether Cohen’s announcement had been coordinated with Libya.
Abdul Hamid Dbeibah (Via Abdul Hamid Dbeibah/Twitter)
The incident has sparked widespread criticism in Libya, with protesters storming the foreign ministry headquarters in Tripoli and attacking a residence for the prime minister. The East-based House of Representatives also criticized the meeting as a “legal and moral crime” and called for an emergency session. In Israel, former Foreign Minister Yair Lapid criticized Cohen for going public with the meeting, saying that it raised questions about Israel’s ability to manage relations with Libya and whether it could be trusted to do so.
The move to suspend Mangoush and refer her for investigation is seen as a response to the growing anger and outrage over the meeting. Dbeibah’s government, which is backed by the West, has been under fire for its failure to address the economic and humanitarian crisis in Libya. The country has been plagued by chaos and instability since the overthrow of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with rival governments and armed groups vying for power. The meeting between Mangoush and Cohen has only added to the tensions and raised concerns about the impact it could have on Libya’s fragile political situation.
