U.S. Opposes Disclosure of Libya-Zionist Meeting

TRIPOLI (KI) – The United States complained to the Zionist regime this weekend about foreign minister Eli Cohen’s decision to publicly reveal a secret meeting with his Libyan counterpart, Axios reported on Monday, citing Zionist regime and U.S. officials.

Libyan Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush met with the occupying regime’s Cohen in Italy last week, despite the two sides not having formal relations. Cohen boasted in a statement about “the great potential for the two sides” to cooperate.
One U.S. official told Axios that the Biden administration was surprised when Cohen revealed the meeting, saying that Washington’s understanding was that it was meant to be kept secret.
Axios reported that U.S. officials spoke to Cohen and other Zionist regime officials on Sunday, protesting against the regime’s foreign minister’s handling of the issue.
An aide to Cohen said there was an understanding that the meeting would become public eventually, and decided to put out a statement after his office was asked about the meeting by the Israeli press.
The Israeli disclosure prompted widespread protests across Libya and left the Tripoli-based government scrambling to address the unrest.
Libya’s prime minister suspended and later dismissed Mangoush, who reportedly fled to Turkey over fear of her security.
Libya has historically opposed normalizing ties with the occupying regime and is supportive of the Palestinian cause. The protests add a new layer of instability to the oil-rich country, which is split between two rival governments.
Palestine thanked Libya on Monday for reiterating its refusal to normalize ties with the occupying regime.
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh visited the Palestinian Embassy in Tripoli to reiterate his government’s support for the Palestinian struggle against the Zionist occupation.
He “reiterated his absolute support for the Palestinian people in their legitimate quest to regain their full rights and for the establishment of their independent state with Al-Quds as its capital,” the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Top Libyan politicians have also called for the ouster of the government after the revelation.