Libyan PM fires Foreign Minister after Israel meeting

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh has removed Foreign Minister Najla Al-Mangoush from her position, according to a source within the Foreign Ministry, as reported by Anadolu.

This decision transpired just one day after Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen revealed that he had engaged in a meeting with Al-Mangoush in Rome, Italy, during the preceding week.

Dbeibeh took the step to terminate Al-Mangoush's tenure while he was visiting the Palestinian Embassy in Tripoli, as stated by the source.

During his interaction with Palestinian Ambassador Mohammad Rahhal, the Libyan premier communicated that Al-Mangoush's actions "do not reflect the stance of the Libyan government and its people."

In statements made on Sunday, the Israeli foreign minister explained that his discussions with his Libyan counterpart aimed to explore potential collaborations, bilateral relations, and the safeguarding of the heritage of Libyan Jews.

Contrarily, the Libyan Foreign Ministry asserted that the encounter was "unplanned" and "informal," devoid of any substantive discussion, agreement, or consultation.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, citing unnamed Israeli officials, reported that the meeting was "arranged at the highest echelons" between the two nations and was carried out with the awareness of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The unprecedented public meeting between the foreign ministers of Israel and Libya has sparked a wave of indignation and protests within Libya.

The North African nation neither acknowledges Israel nor maintains diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv. Statutory regulations prohibit any form of engagement with Israel.

Six Arab nations have established diplomatic relations with Israel: Egypt in 1979, Jordan in 1994, and subsequently, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco in 2022.