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Netanyahu Rues His Foreign Minister’s Disclosure of Meeting with Libyan Counterpart

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen talks to the media during a press conference after a meeting with his Cyprus' counterpart Constantinos Kombos and Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias at the Presidential palace in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on March 31, 2023. (AP)
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen talks to the media during a press conference after a meeting with his Cyprus' counterpart Constantinos Kombos and Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias at the Presidential palace in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on March 31, 2023. (AP)
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Netanyahu Rues His Foreign Minister’s Disclosure of Meeting with Libyan Counterpart

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen talks to the media during a press conference after a meeting with his Cyprus' counterpart Constantinos Kombos and Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias at the Presidential palace in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on March 31, 2023. (AP)
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen talks to the media during a press conference after a meeting with his Cyprus' counterpart Constantinos Kombos and Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias at the Presidential palace in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on March 31, 2023. (AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday appeared to shift blame to his top diplomat for the disclosure of a secret meeting with the Libyan foreign minister that has caused a backlash in Tripoli.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen's office on Aug. 26 went public with his having met Najla al-Mangoush, his Libyan counterpart, in Italy earlier in the month. The statement came on the heels of an Israeli media report about the meeting.

The news triggered protests in Libya, which does not recognize Israel and where pro-Palestinian sentiment is strong, and led head of the Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah to fire Mangoush.

"It is not helpful, now that's clear," Netanyahu told Cypriot TV station ANT1 when asked about the publication.

"I've issued a directive to all our government ministers that such meetings of this kind have to be cleared in advance with my office, and certainly their publication has to be cleared in advance with my office."

In an Aug. 28 social media post pushing back against the furor, Cohen defended his ministry for "always working in overt and covert channels, and in a range of discreet means, to bolster Israel's foreign relations".

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Geagea Calls on Hezbollah to Work with Lebanese Army

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)
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Geagea Calls on Hezbollah to Work with Lebanese Army

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea urged on Friday Hezbollah to engage with the Lebanese army and devise a plan to dismantle its military infrastructure south and north of the Litani river.

In a press conference Friday, Geagea criticized Hezbollah for opening a front with Israel and accused the Shiite group of committing a “major crime” against the Lebanese people.

“We could have done without the martyrdom of more than 4,000 people, the displacement of thousands and the destruction across the country,” he said. “Despite all these tragedies, Hezbollah continues to talk about a victory using a bizarre and disconnected logic that has no basis in reality.”

Geagea’s comments came two days after a US-brokered ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel went into effect. More than 3,900 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel's conflict with Hezbollah escalated.

Geagea, whose Lebanese Forces Party holds the largest bloc in Lebanon’s 128-member parliament, also addressed Lebanon’s presidential deadlock. The country has been without a president for more than two years.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has scheduled a session for presidential elections in January. "Consultations with opposition factions and our allies will begin in the coming days to explore the possibility of agreeing on presidential candidates and bringing them to parliament,” Geagea said.