Libya’s attempt to get closer to Israel blew up Tripoli

Massive anti-government and anti-Israeli protests that began on August 27 have not subsided in the Libyan capital Tripoli for the third day. The capital of Libya and part of the western territories are controlled by the UN-recognised Government of National Unity (GNU). The protests are accompanied by clashes with GNU-controlled armed formations. Protest demonstrations were also held in a number of other cities of Libya, including Misrata, militants from which not so long ago opposed the GNU. The protesters are outraged by the published information about the first-ever talks between PNU Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangush and his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen in Italy on the 20th of August.

On the night of August 28, protesters blocked the main highways and set fire to the house of al-Mangush’s husband, Ibrahim al-Dbeiba, a cousin of GNU Prime Minister Abdel Hamid al-Dbeiba. Militants recruited in Syria opened fire on the protesters, the number of victims and injured is unknown. On August 28, al-Mangush was already dismissed. On the night of August 29, protesters rallied outside the government buildings and the presidential council, demanding the withdrawal of Syrian militants recruited with the help of Turkey.

Information about the ministerial meeting became known from a press release from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, which discussed the possibility of cooperation between the two countries and the preservation of Jewish heritage in Libya, the message was illustrated with a photograph of the two ministers. The Libyan Presidential Council (GNU body) in Tripoli demanded clarification from the minister. The GNU Foreign Ministry said on Facebook (Meta is recognized as extremist in Russia and banned) that the contact was casual and unofficial during a meeting between al-Mangush and the Italian Foreign Minister and no substantive discussions were held. The statement emphasizes that the Foreign Ministry does not accept the normalization of relations with Israel and supports Palestine.

The exact location of the retired al-Mangush is unknown. Al Jazeera reports that she flew to Turkey on the morning of August 28th. The Libyan internal security service on the social network X (formerly Twitter) denies the issuance of permission for the departure of al-Mangush. At the same time, on August 29, the ex-minister told the Lebanese edition of Al Mayadeen that the meeting with the Israeli Foreign Minister “was approved by Prime Minister Abdel Hamid al-Dbeiba.”

The AP news agency reported that the meeting between al-Mangush and Cohen was held under the auspices of the United States in the context of the possible accession of Libya to Arab countries establishing diplomatic relations with Israel. The topic was allegedly discussed for the first time by the head of the GNU of Libya, Abdel Hamid al-Dbeiba, and the director of the CIA, William Burns, back in January. At the same time, the Prime Minister of Libya allegedly gave preliminary consent to joining the Arab-Israeli “Abraham agreements”, although he warned of a possible negative reaction from the Libyan society.

Reuters, citing an unnamed Israeli official, said the GNU prime minister views Israel as a possible “bridge” to the West and the US administration. The “Abraham Accords” signed in 2020 marked the beginning of the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel of the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.

“The protests are hardly inspired by any of the Libyan groups – they rather unite the atomized society of the country in anti-Israeli and anti-Western feelings,” said Grigory Lukyanov from the HSE Faculty of World Economy and International Politics. “But this may become a reason for new attempts to remove al-Dbeiba from power by his opponents both in the west and in the east of Libya.” Similar protests were triggered by the US extradition of al-Mangush, a former intelligence officer of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, in connection with the 1988 Lockerbie attack in the winter of 2022-2023. The Libyans are also annoyed by the Syrian militants acting on the side of the GNU in the country, the expert says.

“Israel’s position in this story is understandable – it wants to be part of the region, seeks to expand ties with Arab countries,” recalls Dmitry Maryasis, an expert at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. – Ever since Gaddafi, Tel Aviv has been trying to improve relations with Libya. Obviously, it was in Israeli interests to keep such contacts secret, and the fact that the information became public may indicate a miscalculation by the Israeli Foreign Ministry.”