TRIPOLI: The Prime Minister of Libya Abdulhamid Al-Dbeibah has suspended Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush over a reported meeting with the Israeli counterpart in Italy, according to an official statement on Monday.
The head of Libya’s Government of National Unity referred her case to further investigation.
Israel said on Sunday that its foreign minister had met with Libyan counterpart and discussed possible cooperation.
Libya’s Foreign Ministry said Mangoush had dismissed reports of such an interaction with representatives of Israel, adding that it was a casual encounter.
In the statement, the Libyan ministry said ‘it renews its complete and absolute rejection of normalization with Israel.’
Libya’s Presidential Council seeks clarification over meeting
The news of the meeting triggered protests in some Libyan cities and then from the country’s Presidential Council requesting clarification as Libya has no diplomatic ties with Israel.
The reported talks between Eli Cohen and his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Mangoush, took place in Rome at a meeting hosted by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.
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Cohen, in a statement, said that he spoke about the great potential for the two countries from their relations with the foreign minister.
Libya’s Presidential Council on Sunday evening sought clarifications from the government over the development.
In a letter written to the Prime Minister, the council said the recent development does not reflect the foreign policy of Libya and is a sheer violation of Libyan laws, which criminalize normalization of ties with the Zionist entity.
