In a recent and controversial development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemed to shift blame onto his top diplomat, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, for the revelation of a secret meeting with Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush. This clandestine encounter, which took place in Italy earlier in the month, was publicly disclosed by Cohen’s office on August 26, shortly after an Israeli media report on the matter.
This revelation sparked outrage and protests in Libya, a nation that does not officially recognize Israel and where pro-Palestinian sentiments run deep. Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah responded by promptly firing Foreign Minister Mangoush in the wake of the controversy.
When questioned about the situation in an interview with Cypriot TV station ANT1, Netanyahu stated, “It is not helpful, now that’s clear.” He went on to explain that he had issued a directive to all government ministers, requiring that such meetings be cleared in advance with his office, including their public disclosure.
Analysts suggest that Libyan leaders, including Dbeibah, have sought to cultivate ties with Israel in the hope of gaining support from the United States, which views Arab normalization of relations with Israel as a priority, amid Libya’s internal political turmoil.
Meanwhile, Israel has shown interest in discreetly engaging in talks with potential Arab and Muslim partners, with hopes of establishing full-fledged relationships. Netanyahu referred to the handling of the Cohen-Mangoush meeting as “an exception to the rule” during the ANT1 interview.
In an attempt to address the uproar, Cohen defended his ministry’s actions in an August 28 social media post, highlighting their consistent efforts to bolster Israel’s foreign relations through various channels, both overt and covert.
This controversy unfolded as Libya’s foreign minister, Najla Mangoush, was suspended and subsequently fled the country following Israel’s revelation of her meeting with Cohen. This historic diplomatic encounter between top diplomats from Libya and Israel marked a significant departure from Libya’s longstanding hostility toward Israel, rooted in a 1957 law that prohibits the normalization of ties with the country.
Mangoush’s abrupt departure led her to seek refuge in Turkey. For Israel, this meeting was a noteworthy breakthrough, given its traditionally hard-line policies toward the Palestinian conflict and their impact on regional relations with the Arab world.
