The battle of versions between Israel and the western Libyan government can be confusing. On the one hand, Tripoli initially claimed that the meeting in Rome between Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and his counterpart Najlaa al-Mankush was purely coincidental and did not include any discussions. On the other hand, according to the Israeli version, the meeting was coordinated at the highest levels and lasted about two hours. In practice, this is a smokescreen of politicians on both sides of the aisle.
Israel is trying to obscure the fact that the exposure of the meeting was political amateurism. It is more likely that the minister wanted to star in the editions a few months before the expected end of his term, and it is unclear how advertising – coordinated or uncoordinated – could have benefited normalization. The result is that Arab diplomats will be afraid to meet with their Israeli counterparts for fear of finding themselves fleeing to Turkey, like Minister Al-Mankush. It may be possible to revel in the publicity, but the road to "political achievement" is still long.
Demonstrations in Libya against Foreign Minister's Meeting with Eli Cohen and Normalization with Israel
In Libya (and in Israel) there are those who wish to ignore the fact that the Western government is not authorized to lead a step on a historic scale such as normalization. The country itself is split between two governments without a valid public mandate, and in some areas there is anarchy. Moreover, Prime Minister Abdel Hamid al-Dbeibah was originally elected in a limited forum for a limited period of time. He became prime minister in 2021 to lead the country to general elections, which have been postponed until further notice. Since then, he has become one of the main factors preventing Libyans from going to the polls, and lives on the bayonets of Tripoli's militias.
However, it was revealed that back in January, Dbeibah had spoken with CIA Director William Burns about normalization. Dbeibah, who mainly represents himself, initially agreed to the move, but expressed concern about public opposition. Libyan officials assessed that he was trying to gain Washington's support for his rule. In other words, it is another layer in his attachment to the horns of the altar. And now, after the storm that ensued, he tried to minimize damage by setting up a commission of inquiry and make Minister al-Mankush a scapegoat. But the minister who was ousted yesterday exposed him nakedly when she discovered that he himself had planned the meeting with the Italian government.
The Entanglement with Libya: Foreign Minister Al-Mankush and Minister Cohen, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Thus, as time passes, there is a danger to the continuation of al-Dbeibah's rule. During the night between Sunday and Monday, demonstrators against normalization blocked major roads in Tripoli, called for the ouster of the government and its leader, and attacked his home. All this while the militiamen stand by.
Libyan security forces after clashes in the capital Tripoli, Photo: Reuters
The conspirators will say that perhaps there was a calculated move here. After all, the government of western Libya in any case mainly represents Islamist elements and is supported by Turkey. The idea that this government will be able to move toward normalization with Israel, without any steps on the Palestinian issue, borders on wishful thinking.
The regime in eastern Libya, backed by General Khalifa Haftar, is a more suitable candidate for normalization negotiations. Haftar is supported by the United States and Egypt, and is considered more moderate in his attitude toward Jerusalem. The fall of al-Dbeibah could pave his way to take over the entire country. However, it seems that here, too, this is not the result of "House of Cards"-style staff work, but simply diplomatic serenity in the style of "Polishuk."
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