Media Wire

PM wants to approve all secret talks after Libya debacle: Netanyahu’s spokesperson

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued an order stressing he must approve all secret talks after a leaked meeting between Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen and his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Mangoush led to a fiasco.

The premier has also said his ministers need to secure his consent before publicising news of any such meetings, his spokesperson stated on Wednesday.

Netanyahu, who said he had no knowledge of the meeting between the Israeli and Libyan foreign ministers, appears to want to distance himself from the fallout of the political debacle that could affect his entire normalisation agenda with Arab states.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Sunday that Cohen met al-Mangoush in Rome last week, hailing it as a “historic” step towards normalisation with the North African state.

The news immediately created a firestorm, leading Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah to suspend al-Mangoush pending an investigation. He fired al-Mangoush after she fled to Turkey for fear of her safety.

Protests also erupted across several cities in Libya after the news was publicised, with demonstrators setting fire to tyres, waving Palestinian flags and chanting against the prime minister. Libya has been traditionally a supporter of Palestine against Israeli occupation.

Cohen reportedly publicised the meeting after an Israeli media outlet was informed and intended to reveal it.

Like Netanyahu, Dbeibah said he had no knowledge of the meeting, but analysts have said it is unlikely the premiers were completely unaware of their top diplomats meeting over normalisation.

Dbeibah is the leader of an administration based in Tripoli located in western Libya, as the oil-rich country has for years been divided into two rival governments that rule over its eastern and western halves. Each side has been backed by armed groups and foreign governments.

Libya has seen constant chaos after a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 that toppled longstanding strongman Muammar Gaddafi, who was hostile to Israel and a staunch supporter of Palestinians.

The United States has also been reportedly furious with the revelation of the secret meeting as it jeopardises prospects of years-long efforts to restore relations between a politically isolated Israel and the Arab states of the tense region.

Israeli media reported that Stephanie Hallett, acting US ambassador to Israel, had a meeting with Cohen on Monday and expressed dissatisfaction with the Israeli announcement.

Washington mediated a normalisation of relations between Israel and two Arab monarchies – the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain – during the administration of former President Donald Trump, and now wants to expand that trend to other countries, chief among them Saudi Arabia.

IFP Media Wire

Reports and views published in the Media Wire section have been retrieved from other news agencies and websites, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Iran Front Page (IFP) news website. The IFP may change the headlines of the reports in a bid to make them compatible with its own style of covering Iran News, and does not make any changes to the content. The source and URL of all reports and news stories are mentioned at the bottom of each article.

Recent Posts

Two Iranians arrested abroad for alleged involvement in equipping drones used against US forces

Iranian nationals Mohammad Abedini and Mehdi Mohammad Sadeghi have been arrested in Milan and Massachusetts…

4 hours ago

7 soldiers killed in road crash in Iran’s Lorestan province

A tragic bus accident occurred on Saturday in Lorestan province, western Iran, killing seven soldiers…

4 hours ago

Azerbaijan president thanks Iran for support of Baku’s membership in D-8 group

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has expressed gratitude to Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian in a letter,…

4 hours ago

Over 12,000 civilians killed in Ukraine during Russia’s full-scale war: UN

More than 12,300 civilian deaths have been recorded in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale…

4 hours ago

Israel leaves Palestinian bodies for stray dogs in Gaza: Report

Gaza's Civil Defense reported on Saturday that Israeli troops are killing Palestinians and leaving their…

4 hours ago

FT: Trump plans to continue US military assistance to Ukraine

US President-elect Donald Trump plans to continue military aid for Ukraine, the Financial Times has…

4 hours ago