Demonstrations against Libya's Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) erupted late on Monday in several parts of the country after Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush disclosed details about a past meeting with former Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, reportedly with the knowledge of Dbeibah.
Mangoush revealed that the meeting with Cohen was "unofficial" and intended to discuss an upcoming sustainability conference, which she claimed was coordinated with the GNU government and that Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah approved the contact with the Israeli official.
The meeting, which took place in Rome in August 2023, represented the first public engagement between Libyan and Israeli officials.
During an interview with Al Jazeera’s , Mangoush said she was banned from making public statements about the meeting.
Mangoush's comments starkly contradicted those of Dbeibah, particularly regarding the nature of the meeting. While Mangoush claimed it was a secret, security-focused meeting, the PM had previously dismissed it as spontaneous and uncoordinated.
Dbeibah previously announced an official investigation into the incident, however, Mangoush revealed that she had never been summoned for questioning despite being informed of the investigation in August 2023.
Protests and political fallout
Following the airing of the podcast, protests erupted in several Libyan cities including Tripoli, Misrata, and Zawiya, with demonstrators calling for PM Dbeibah's resignation.
Many slammed the government for allegedly betraying Libya's longstanding stance of rejecting normalisation with Israel, which has been part of the country’s foreign policy since the 1950s.
The protests grew louder when the interim government in eastern Libya, led by Osama Hamad, condemned the meeting as "morally and legally wrong".
Hamad, referencing the 1957 law that prohibits dealings with Israel, accused Dbeibah’s government of violating national law and undermining Libyan support for Palestine.
In response to the backlash, Mangoush sought to defend her actions, claiming that she had always considered meeting foreign ministers - regardless of their country of origin- a diplomatic duty.
Leading Libyan figures, including former UN envoy Ibrahim Dabbashi, have accused Mangoush of acting as a willing participant in the meeting, with some suggesting that her actions amounted to "collaboration" with Israel.
Activists, like Osama Shahoumi, have called for legal action against Mangoush, arguing that her attempt to justify the meeting using "security concerns" was a hollow excuse and did not absolve her of breaching Libyan law.
The issue has also placed pressure on the Libyan judiciary. Many activists are now calling on the Libyan Prosecutor General, Al-Siddiq Al-Sour, to issue an arrest warrant for Mangoush through Interpol for her role in the meeting.
Groups have accused the former minister of failing to act against significant breaches of the law while focusing on minor offences.