Libya’s dismissed foreign minister, Najla al-Mangoush, has said that she did not believe her 2023 meeting in Italy with then-Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen was “wrong.”
Speaking to Al Jazeera’s Atheer podcast, Mangoush said that the informal, secret meeting was planned by both the Israeli government and Libya’s Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh.
“I do not think [the meeting] was wrong from a matter of principle,” she said. “When the meeting with the Israeli side took place, it was not for the reasons that were shared by media outlets. The meeting was limited to specific topics and within a specific framework.”
The meeting between Mangoush and Cohen was a first for the two countries, as Libya does not have formal relations with Israel and does not recognise it.
The encounter, made public by Cohen, sparked protests in Tripoli and other cities throughout Libya, where demonstrators were seen waving Palestinian flags and blocking roads. The Israeli side portrayed the meeting as a first step towards normalisation.
The minister was subsequently suspended, then dismissed from her position and fled the country. She told Al Jazeera that she was asked to leave Tripoli on the basis of her return after days, but her absence lasted for over a year.
Mangoush criticised Dbeibah for not managing the crisis properly.
“The issue would have been resolved simply if Dbeibah had spoken directly, addressed the Libyan people and revealed the truth,” she said, adding she was prevented from making any statement about what happened.
‘Strategic and security issues’
In her latest interview, Mangoush shared some more information about the meeting.
“There were many sensitive strategic and security issues, that matter to Libya’s safety and stability, that were discussed with the Israeli side, without going into details,” she said.
While refusing to reveal what exactly was discussed, due to the secretive nature of the meeting, Mangoush said that she “presented what we were worried about, our reservations, and the ideas that we tried to discuss with the Israeli side.”
She did, however, mention that the topics included Libya’s security in the Mediterranean Sea and the preservation of its water, oil and energy resources.
On the logistics and agenda-setting surrounding the meeting, Mangoush said she was not involved in the process, explaining she only played her part as a foreign minister to send her government’s message.
Her interview caused new protests in Libya on Monday, with citizens reiterating their rejection of any talks with Israeli officials and focusing their anger on the Government of National Unity and Dbeibeh.
Mangoush insisted that her meeting was part of her job as a diplomat.
“This is diplomatic work,” she said.
“I lead Libyan diplomacy, and it is therefore my job to meet all foreign ministers. My job is to sit with those I agree and disagree with. My meeting does not mean my agreement with the policies of any party, but it is my duty as a diplomat looking after her country’s interests first and foremost.”
Mangoush said she remained opposed to the Israeli government’s “extremist policies” and that she mentioned Libya’s position and commitment to the Palestinian cause to Cohen.
