Libyan Foreign Minister Najala Manqoosh, who was suspended after meeting with the Israeli Foreign Minister, has left the country.
According to the American news agency Associated Press, when the news of the meeting with the Israeli Foreign Minister came out, there were protests in Libya, and the flag of Israel was burned.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Abdul Hameed Diba ordered the suspension of Foreign Minister Najla Manqoosh, while the Presidential Council sought clarification on the meeting of the Foreign Minister.
The Prime Minister had said that a commission of the Ministry of Justice would investigate the Foreign Minister.
However, he did not explain on what basis Najla Manmoosh would be investigated. Normalising relations with Israel is illegal in Libya under a 1957 law.
This was the first meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries since last week.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Libya has said that Najla Manmoosh has gone to Turkey.
In a statement on the meeting on Sunday, the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that Najla Manqoosh had rejected the meeting with Israeli representatives and that it was not an official meeting.
In the statement, the Libyan Foreign Ministry accused Israel of trying to present it as “a meeting or a negotiation”.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said that “I discussed with the Foreign Minister the broad possibilities for relations between the two countries.”
Israeli foreign minister
The Israeli foreign minister added that the meeting was hosted by the Italian foreign minister in Rome.
The decision to suspend the foreign minister made it appear that the prime minister was unaware of the meeting, but two senior Libyan government officials told The Associated Press that the prime minister was aware of the meeting between the two foreign ministers. were
According to an official, the Prime Minister had given the green light for the meeting during his visit to Rome last month.
He said that the Prime Minister’s Office had arranged a meeting with Najla Manqoosh.
Another official said the meeting between the two foreign ministers lasted for two hours, and the foreign minister briefed Prime Minister Abdulhamid Diba about the meeting shortly after returning to Tripoli.
The official said there was a meeting between Prime Minister Abdelhamid Diba and CIA Director William Burns in Tripoli. In January to discuss normalising relations between Libya and Israel.
The official said Libya’s prime minister had given approval to join the US-brokered Abraham Accords. But was concerned about public backlash in a country known for its support for Palestine.
The official also said that after the announcement of the meeting by Israel’s foreign minister, Foreign Minister Najala Manqoosh immediately left for Istanbul by private flight.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
Jalil Harkhau said
Jalil Harkhau, an analyst at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies in London. He said Prime Minister Abdulhamid Diba has tried to appease foreign governments as he faces increasing pressure from the United Nations. And other countries due to the political impasse. have come
Harkhau added that the Libyan prime minister’s decision to suspend the foreign minister was aim at reducing public anger.
In New York, United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said he would not comment on the suspension of Libya’s foreign minister.
Describing it as an internal matter, he said that we are concerned about the security of the foreign minister. There are reports that they have been threaten and have left the country. Their safety is more important.
According to an Israeli official, the ministry was force to make a statement about the meeting on Sunday. Because an Israeli news website wanted to publish a report on the meeting.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Israel had informed Libyan officials about the leak. And that the two countries had already agreed to announce the meeting at an unspecified time.
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