On Thursday, the head of the Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, held a telephone conversation with the head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohammed Al Mnifi, to discuss the latest developments in the Palestinian cause.
During the conversation, Haniyeh commended Libya’s unwavering refusal to normalize ties with Israel and highlighted that the Palestinian people hold Libya’s position in high regard.
The Palestinian official articulated the deep appreciation that the Palestinian populace has for Libya’s steadfast refusal to normalize relations with Israel. He stated that Israel’s recent attempts to infiltrate and undermine this honorable Libyan stance have been unsuccessful.
“The Palestinian people, in all their diversity, have welcomed Libya’s position with pride and respect, particularly in the face of the unfavorable tides of change that have touched some Arab capitals regarding normalization with Israel,” Haniyeh elaborated.
He further stressed that “Libya’s stance serves as robust support for the Palestinian people in confronting the fascist Israeli occupation and its schemes aimed at destabilizing the foundational elements of the Palestinian issue.”
For his part, al-Mnifi reaffirmed Libya’s unyielding commitment to the Palestinian issue and its firm position against normalization with Israel. “Libya will never cross red lines in its relations with Palestine or its perspective on Israeli occupation,” affirmed al-Mnifi.
He further emphasized that the direction of Libya’s foreign policy towards Palestine remains steadfast, and any divergences from this do not represent official Libyan policy.
This high-level phone call underscores Libya’s ongoing refusal to normalize relations with Israel while reinforcing its unwavering support for the Palestinian cause. It also emphasizes the unity of purpose between Libya and Hamas in confronting these monumental challenges.
Notably, an Israeli official stated that Libyan Foreign Minister, Najla Al-Mangoush and her Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen engaged in a conversation last week 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.
