Israeli news network, Arutz Sheva, has revealed that the meeting between Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Al-Mangoush and Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen was authorized by the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, adding that he had agreed to the meeting with the Italian Prime Minister during his recent visit to Rome, whose government promised Dbeibah the return of direct flights between Italy and Libya in exchange.
The Israeli news network said Al-Mangoush had in her possession many documents, and she would not let herself be a scapegoat for the meeting she held at the request of Dbeibah.
Reuters reported on Monday that the Libyan and Israeli Foreign Ministers had spoken for more than two hours last week in a meeting approved “at the highest levels” in Libya, adding that the Rome encounter was more of a pre-arranged sit-down hoping that Dbeibah would get more US support for his government.
The Libyan Prime Minister sees Israel as a possible bridge to the West and the US administration.” The official said, according to the report by Reuters.
A diplomatic source in Italy confirmed to Reuters that there had been contact for some time between the two Foreign Ministries before the meeting, saying that they asked Rome to help determine the location of the meeting.
The Head of an Italian center for consulting political risks said that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's hosting of the meeting "aimed to raise Italy's diplomatic status," but it had backfired.
