Protests have erupted in Libya after Israel said its foreign minister had met with his Libyan counterpart in spite of the two countries having no formal diplomatic links. Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibeh suspended Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush after she met with Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen, news portal al-Wasat Gate reported. Meanwhile, the Libyan Foreign Ministry denied Mangoush had held formal talks with Cohen and said the meeting in Rome was a casual, non-official, and previously unprepared meeting. Under a 1957 Libyan law, dealing with Israel is punishable by law, by up to nine years in prison. The Libyan news site Al-Wasat reported on Monday, citing security circles that the foreign minister had meanwhile flown to Turkey on a government plane.

Source: Nigerian Tribune August 28, 2023 16:49 UTC