Libya politicians call for ousting government over meeting with Israel official

Senior Libyan politicians on Sunday called for ousting the government of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh over the meeting between his Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush and Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen.

Former Chair of the High Council of State Khalid Al-Mishri condemned the Libyan and Israeli officials’ meeting.

In a post published on Facebook, Al-Mishri suggested that this meeting was probably not the first and urged: “The Dbeibeh government has crossed all red lines and must be overthrown.”

Libyan presidential candidate Suleiman Al-Bayoudi called to exclude Dbeibeh from the upcoming elections.

On Facebook, Al-Bayoudi accused Dbeibeh of promoting normalisation with Israel: “He has nothing but Israel’s card to throw in the face of his opponents after playing all his other cards to continue to remain in power.”

Al-Bayoudi stressed: “Israel is the last straw he (Dbeibeh) is grasping before he drowns.”

He continued: “Relations with Israel can only be established after a national consensus has been reached within the framework of elected institutions and with considerations of all relevant aspects, including the question of Libyan Jews.”

It is worth noting that the government suspended Mangoush, prevented her from leaving the country before she was investigated and stressed that she met with the Israeli minister without the government’s knowledge.

Large numbers of Libyans took to the streets in Tripoli, with reports they had stormed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and reportedly set Dbeibeh’s residence on fire. There have also been reports of gunfire in the vicinity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In other cities, news reports from Libya said that protesters gathered outside government buildings and blocked roads in protest against the meeting in Rome.

READ: Israel FM secretly meets with Libya counterpart