Libya Assures Palestine That It Does Not Intend to Restore Relations with Israel

The head of Libya's Government of National Unity, Abdel Hamid Dbeibah, visited the Palestinian embassy in Tripoli and assured diplomats that he does not intend to restore relations with Israel. This was reported by the Libya Al Ahrar television channel.

It is noted that during the diplomatic mission, Dbeibah "confirmed that Libya has no plans to normalize relations with Israel" against the backdrop of the meeting last week between Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush and her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen.

Earlier, Mangoush's office issued a statement that this meeting was authorized by Dbeibah.

According to the Al Wasat portal, the actions of the Foreign Minister, who met with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen, violated Law No. 62 on the Boycott of Israel adopted in 1957, the seventh article of which stipulates "imprisonment for 3 to 10 years and a fine of up to 5000 Libyan dinars (about 1000 dollars)." On Sunday, Dbeibah dismissed Foreign Minister and Minister of International Cooperation Najla Mangoush due to her meeting with her Israeli counterpart. An investigation has been initiated against the head of the Foreign Ministry.

According to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Cohen secretly met with Mangoush last week in Rome, with the support of Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. These were the first negotiations between the foreign ministers of Israel and Libya. Following the announcements regarding the last meeting of the foreign ministers of the two countries, small protest actions took place in Libya.