Sabra Express | False Start

Libya’s Foreign Minister Flees Country Amid Uproar Over Meeting with Israeli

New York Times, August 28th, 2023

Recap:

Najla el-Mangoush, Libya’s foreign minister, fled to Turkey following a meeting with her Israeli counterpart in Rome.

The Context:

· On Sunday, Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen announced that he met with his Libyan counterpart in Italy. Cohen termed it a "historic" initial meeting between the two countries however, Libya's foreign ministry downplayed the meeting as "informal and unplanned," with el-Mangoush reiterating Libyan support for Palestinians. Israel does not have diplomatic relations with Libya, and it is illegal to normalize ties with Israel under Libyan law [1].

· To distance himself from the diplomatic debacle, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has staked his legacy on expanding ties with the Arab world, ordered his government to pre-approve nascent diplomatic exchanges in the future [2]. Former Mossad official Haim Tomer suggested that potential peace negotiations should be handled exclusively by the Mossad to prevent political grandstanding [3].

· Libya has been in turmoil since the 2011 overthrow of its dictator during the Arab Spring uprising. The nation remains divided between rival governments in the east and west [5] with the meeting only deepening Libya's internal political crisis, bolstering Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah's critics [6].

· Libya was once home to a thriving Jewish community for thousands of years, but it emptied out over the last century as a result of anti-Jewish pogroms and hostile governments. No Libyan Jews are known to remain in the country.

Conversation Points:

· Does Netanyahu's coalition play a role in the lack of progress towards normalization with additional Arab countries?

· If Israel's diplomatic service can't be trusted to keep discussions confidential, will Arab leaders hesitate when it comes to building closer ties with Israel?

· Does the Arab street remain hostile to Israel?

Notes:

1. Seeking distance from Libya debacle, Netanyahu says he must approve any secret talks, LAZAR BERMAN, Times of Israel, August 29th, 2023.

2. Libyan foreign minister flees country amid outcry over meeting with Israeli counterpart, The Guardian, August 30th, 2023.

3. Israel-Libya diplomatic debacle could slow Saudi peace - ex-top Mossad official, YONAH JEREMY BOB, Jerusalem Post, AUGUST 29th, 2023.

4. Seeking distance from Libya debacle, Netanyahu says he must approve any secret talks, LAZAR BERMAN, Times of Israel, August 29th, 2023.

5. Libyan PM sacks foreign minister as row over Israel meeting grows, Reuters, August 28th, 2023.

6. Libyan PM sacks foreign minister as row over Israel meeting grows, Reuters, August 28th, 2023.