On Friday, Libyan security forces increased their deployment in the capital city in anticipation of potential new protests demanding the ousting of the Government of National Unity (GNU).
These demonstrations come following the secret meeting between the GNU Foreign Minister, Najla Al-Mangoush, and her Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen.
This sparked widespread protests in Libya, with demonstrations erupting in Tripoli and its suburbs. People took to the streets, vehemently opposing any normalisation of relations with Israel. The protests extended to other cities, where roads were blocked, and Palestinian flags were raised while tires were set ablaze.
Emad Al-Tarabulsi, the GNU acting Minister of Interior, conducted an inspection tour of the security positions on Friday to assess the implementation of the capital’s security plan.
During a Cabinet meeting held on Thursday, Al-Tarabulsi expressed strong disapproval of using September 1st as a date for protests to incite chaos.
Furthermore, Al-Tarabulsi emphasised that the Ministry of Interior allows peaceful demonstrations only upon receiving an official request. It said his Ministry firmly condemns the destruction of vehicles and damage to public and private property.
The acting Minister of Interior reiterated that calls for the government’s overthrow and the burning of public and private institutions are rejected.
Notably, an Israeli official stated on Monday that Al-Mangoush and Cohen engaged in a conversation for over two hours during a meeting in Italy. He told Reuters that the meeting was prearranged at the “highest levels” in Libya, contradicting Libyan statements of an unplanned encounter that sparked protests across the country.
The Foreign Ministry in Tripoli stated that Al-Mangoush refused to hold any meetings with Israeli representatives, and what occurred in Rome was an “incidental, unofficial meeting during a meeting with Italian Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani.”
However, the Israeli official cast doubt on this account, saying, “The meeting was prearranged at the highest levels in Libya, and lasted for about two hours. The Libyan Prime Minister views Israel as a potential bridge to the West and the US administration.”
Following the disclosure of the meeting, the Prime Minister of the GNU Abdelhamid Dbaiba called on Al-Mangoush to step down. Protests against the government and Israel erupted in Tripoli, with some demonstrators storming the foreign ministry building. By Monday, Al-Mangoush had fled the country.