Libya’s Haftar had lengthy meeting with Israeli intelligence officer

Sources close to Libya’s strongman, General Khalifa Haftar said that he had an extended meeting with an Israeli intelligence officer earlier this month in the Jordanian capital, Amman, to “deepen security coordination between him and Israel”.

The source, who preferred not to be named told al- Araby al- Jadeed newspaper Monday that “Haftar has asked that the Israeli security forces intensify their presence in southern Libya to cut off French and Italian desire to control the region”.

The source added that Haftar promised the Israeli officer that he will provide safe centers for Israel especially in Sabha, which is in the middle of the Libyan desert.

Read: Libyan oil firm halts exports from Haftar-held seaports

Western media sources have previously revealed that Israel has provided intelligence and possibly military support to Haftar over the past years.

According to the source, Haftar contacts the Israelis through various channels, including the Israeli-Canadian security advisor, Ari Ben Manachi and the Likud party member, Oren Hazan of Libyan origins.

The source explained that although Egypt supports Haftar cooperation with Israel because it does not want Libyan arms to be smuggled into the Sinai Peninsula, however it does not want Haftar to communicate directly with Israel.

Algerian media sources have previously reported that Algeria had sent a strongly worded letter to Haftar in which it warned him of supporting the construction of an Israeli intelligence base in southern Libya.