Israel says its foreign minister met with his Libyan counterpart in sign of burgeoning ties

By JOSEF FEDERMAN
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s Foreign Ministry says the Israeli and Libyan foreign ministers met secretly in Italy last week. It says the talks in Rome marked the first-ever meeting between the country’s top diplomats. The meeting between Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Najla Mangoush, foreign minister of the Tripoli-based government, marked a small breakthrough for Israel. The country’s hard-line policies toward the Palestinians have led to a cooling of its burgeoning ties with the Arab world. The late Libyan leader, Moammar Gadhafi, was hostile to Israel and a staunch supporter of the Palestinians. After reaching diplomatic agreements with four Arab countries in 2020, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been looking for new partners in the Arab world.