Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen is trying to distance himself from the crisis that his meeting with his Libyan counterpart Najla al Mangoush in Italy, creates after the news of the meeting leaked to public.
However, the crisis in Israel was due to Israeli Foreign Ministry “lack of professionalism,” according to the Israeli government opponents.
Cohen wrote on X platform on Monday evening: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs works regularly through public and secret channels, and in various secret ways, to strengthen Israel’s relations in the world”.
He continued, “It’s unfortunate that the political opponents, who didn’t push for any significant achievement, rush to respond without knowing the details and accusing us of a leak that didn’t happen”.
Cohen concluded by emphasizing that “these attacks won’t prevent the Israeli Foreign Ministry from establishing and strengthening relations with our many friends in the world, and in the Arab world in particular”.
Earlier Monday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry disclaimed responsibility for the leak of the controversial meeting.
Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that, “Contrary to reports, the leak regarding the meeting with the Libyan foreign minister didn’t come from the ministry or the minister’s office”.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry’s statement didn’t clarify who leaked the meeting news.
Meanwhile, the head of the Israeli opposition, Yair Lapid, considered that the leaking of the meeting with the Libyan foreign minister was an unprofessional and irresponsible act, and a serious failure of governance.
Lapid wrote in X platform, “It’s the morning of national shame and the risk of human life, for the sake of a headline”.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced in a statement on Sunday that Foreign Minister Eli Cohen met last week in the Italian capital, Rome, with his Libyan counterpart, Najla al Mangoush.
On the other hand, the meeting creates an uproar in Libya, as the Libyan Prime minister, Abd al Hamid al Dabaiba, issued a decision to suspend al Manqoush from work as a precaution and to refer her for investigation.
While the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that what happened in Rome was an informal and unprepared casual meeting, during a meeting with the Italian Foreign Minister.
And in Libya, mass demonstration took to the streets as Libyan protested against the meeting, calling for a punishment on the Libyan Foreign Minister Najla al Mangoush.
