A day after Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush was suspended for meeting with her Israeli counterpart, the Libyan Foreign Ministry published a statement claiming that the meeting was held with the consent and knowledge of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid al-Dbeibah.
The ministry added that Prime Minister al-Dbeibah "met with the Italian Prime Minister last month in Rome and agreed with her on the meeting with the Israeli official. In return, the Italian government promised him to run an air route between Rome and Tripoli."
On Sunday, the Israeli Foreign Ministery released that Minister Eli Cohen met with Mangoush last week in Rome.
During the meeting, the two ministers discussed the historical ties between the nations, the Libyan-Jewish heritage, and possible partnerships between the countries and Israeli aid in humanitarian, agricultural, and water management issues.
The reports of the meeting were met with fierce objection in Lybia, videos on the internet showed Libyan citizens protesting in the streets, burning Israeli flags. Later in the day, al-Dbeibah suspended Mangoush and referred her to investigation.
Libya’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday that the meeting between the two ministers “was accidental, unofficial, and not planned in advance.”
On Monday morning, it was reported that Mangoush left the country, boarding a private airplane to Turkey, as a result of the intense backlash.