” I spoke with the Minister of Foreign Affairs about the great potential of relations between the two countries said Eli Cohen, according to a statement from his office. The Israeli minister said he discussed with Najla al-Mangoush “ the importance of preserving the heritage of Libyan Judaism through the repair of synagogues and Jewish cemeteries in this country “.
It’s about a ” first step in relations between Israel and Libya “, said the minister, considering that” the size and strategic position of Libya offers an immense opportunity for the State of Israel “. The meeting took place under the auspices of Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, according to the statement.
” A chance and unofficial meeting “, says the Libyan minister
” Najla al-Mangoush has refused to speak with any party representing the Israeli entity and remains adamantly firm on this position “, For its part, specified the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the evening. ” What happened in Rome was a chance and unofficial encounter, during a meeting with his Italian counterpart, which did not involve any discussion, agreement or consultation the ministry said in a statement. The Minister recalled clearly and unambiguously the position of the Libya towards the Palestinian cause “. The ministry further denounced a “ exploitation by Hebrew and international media ” of this “ incident » which they try to present as « a meeting or talks “.
Spontaneous protest movements erupted in Tripoli and several suburbs of the capital on Sunday in a sign of rejection of normalization with Israelthen moved on to other towns where young people cut roads, burned tires and waved the Palestinian flag.
Minister suspended
The head of the Libyan government has suspended Najla al-Mangoush. The minister ” is temporarily suspended “and subject to a” administrative inquiry by a commission chaired by the Minister of Justice, announced the government of Abdelhamid Dbeibah, recognized by the UN, on Sunday evening, according to an official decision published on Facebook.
On Sunday evening, the Libyan Presidential Council (PC), a body endowed with certain executive powers and resulting from the political process supported by the UN, had asked ” clarification to the government, according to Libya al-Ahrar TV, citing correspondence confirmed by CP spokeswoman Najwa Wheba.
For CP, this does not reflect the foreign policy of the Libyan state, does not represent Libyan national constants and is considered a violation of Libyan laws which criminalize normalization with the Zionist entity “. The CP asked the head of government to “apply the law if the meeting took place”.
Libyan Jews expelled from the country under Gaddafi
Libya, plunged into chaos since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel. Most of Libya’s Jewish population left that country in the twenty years following World War II, mainly to go to Israel. A few hundred Jews were still living in Libya at the time of the 1969 coup by Muammar Gaddafi, who then expelled them, had their property confiscated and destroyed synagogues.
Israel has normalized its relations with some Arab nations in recent years, within the framework of the Abraham Accords under the aegis of the United States. However, the current policy of Binyamin Netanyahu’s government has been the subject of criticism from Arab countries following the wave of violence in the occupied West Bank as well as in the face of continued colonization in this territory.
(With AFP)