Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen held a clandestine meeting with his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Mangoush in Rome. This meeting marked the first official encounter between “Israeli” and Libyan officials. The secret meeting was revealed by the Israeli Foreign Minister which led to a series of fallouts.

Here are the things you need to know:

1. Libyan Outrage and Dismissal:

The revelation of this meeting triggered a wave of anger and protests within Libya. In response to the public backlash, Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah took action by dismissing the foreign minister involved. The foreign minister subsequently fled to London.

2. Implication of Political Forces:

It wasn’t just the foreign minister who faced implications. Various political forces within Libya were also implicated in communicating with “Israelis”. This included figures like Khalifa Haftar and his son, partners of Aguila Saleh, and Saif al-Qaddafi.

The political milieu remained complicit by staying silent about some individuals with ties to Israel while criticising others.

3. U.S. Involvement and Damage Control:

The U.S. administration had been working covertly for two years to persuade Libya to normalise relations with Israel. Reports suggest that discussions regarding normalisation took place during a visit to Libya by CIA Director William Burns in January 2023.

However, the leak of the Rome meeting had unintended consequences, causing damage to these efforts and affecting the U.S.’s encouragement of other Arab countries to normalise relations with “Israel”.

4. Netanyahu’s Goals:

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had hoped to use the normalisation with Libya as a means to gain popularity and achieve a breakthrough in “Israeli”-Arab relations. This was seen as a parallel track to the normalisation process with Saudi Arabia, although the latter’s involvement appeared uncertain.

5. “Concessions” for Normalisation:

The U.S. government was pushing for “Israel” to make “concessions” regarding the Palestinian issue as part of any normalisation deal with Saudi Arabia. These concessions revolved around freezing settlement construction in specific West Bank areas designated for the Palestinian Authority.

These measures aimed to maintain calm, reduce extremism in “Israeli” public opinion, and present a two-state solution while retaining sovereignty over the land for “Israel”.

6. Netanyahu’s Political Manoeuvering:

Netanyahu aimed to expand “Israel’s” influence in Arab countries and achieve normalisation with Libya for both political and economic reasons. Normalisation with Libya would enable engagement with Italy and Greece on various issues, including gas, immigration, and European security. It was also seen as a way to counterbalance the Turkish-Libyan relationship.

7. Leaking the Meeting:

It is suggested that adversaries, both within “Israel” and the U.S., leaked news of the meeting between Najla al-Mangoush and Eli Cohen to the press. The purpose of this leak was to place blame on Netanyahu and his government and embarrass them in favour of their political opponents.

8. Netanyahu’s Deflection and Responsibility:

Faced with domestic and American criticisms, Netanyahu deflected responsibility for the meeting’s revelation and placed blame on the former foreign minister.

In interviews, Netanyahu emphasized the need for confidential communications between “Israel” and various leaders in the Arab and Muslim world.

9. Libyan Government and Normalization:

The scandal surrounding the meeting with “Israel” provided an opportunity for opposition forces in Libya to attack the Dbeibah government. Dbeibah’s government had sought international support through normalisation with “Israel”, which became a point of contention.

The UN envoy to Libya called for the formation of a new government, further complicating the situation.

10. Unpopular Rulers Use “Israel” to Stay in Power:

These rulers ally themselves with “Israel” to protect themselves from political challenges both at home and abroad. This is a common practice among the treacherous rulers who do not have the backing of their citizens and have no regard for Islam and the Ummah. They only care about serving the interests of the West, even if it means going against their Deen and the interests of their own people.

“And those who take protectors other than Allah, [saying], ‘We only worship them so that they may bring us closer to Allah.’ Indeed, Allah will judge between them concerning that over which they differ. Indeed, Allah does not guide the people who are wrongdoers.”

(Surah Az-Zumar; 39:3)