Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, the prime minister of Libya, announced late on Sunday that he had suspended Najla Mangoush as foreign minister and referred her for inquiry.
Libya foreign minister suspended: After claiming that Mangoush had a meeting with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen last week in Rome, Israel took the action shortly afterward.
Like many other Arab nations, Libya has no official ties with Israel. Dealing with Israel is punishable by up to nine years in jail under a 1957 statute in Libya.
What was the Libyan response?
The Israeli statement sparked small protests in and around Tripoli, the capital of Libya.
The Government of National Unity, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, disclosed the decision to “temporarily suspend” Mangoush and transfer the foreign ministry portfolio to the youth minister in a Facebook post.
According to a statement posted on the foreign ministry’s Facebook page, Mangoush denied formal discussions with Israeli officials in keeping with the position of the Government of National Unity.
It was described as a “chance and unofficial encounter” by the Libyan foreign ministry. A spontaneous, unplanned encounter took place in Rome, according to the ministry. Moreover, an Israeli official quoted Reuters news agency on Monday, stating that the meeting between Foreign Minister Cohen and Mangoush had received pre-approval “at the highest levels” in Libya.
However, Reuters news agency quoted an Israeli official on Monday who stated that the meeting between Foreign Minister Cohen and Mangoush had received pre-approval “at the highest levels” in Libya.
What had Israel said regarding the encounter?
The two parties may have discussed potential cooperation, including Israeli assistance in humanitarian issues, agriculture, and water management, according to an Israeli statement announcing the meeting on Sunday.
Additionally, according to Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, he emphasised to his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Mangoush the value of preserving her nation’s Jewish heritage. Further, The Italian foreign minister helped the discussions.
However, Israel’s diplomatic relations with a number of Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, have improved recently.