A report by the Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano has revealed that Khalifa Haftar, a prominent Libyan general, held a secret meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Abu Dhabi. The meeting, which took place on an undisclosed date, is not the first of its kind between Haftar and Israeli officials. According to the report, Haftar has previously met with "prominent Israeli figures" in secret.
The meeting between Haftar and Netanyahu is believed to be part of Haftar's efforts to regain legitimacy in the eyes of the US government. The report suggests that Haftar's efforts to restore his legitimacy are linked to his involvement in orchestrating attacks on Libya's infrastructure and military and political leaders in the western region. The US administration under President Trump had initially backed Haftar, but his legitimacy has since been questioned.
This is not the first time Haftar has been linked to secret meetings with Israeli officials. In 2021, a report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed that Haftar's plane had been spotted at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, where he allegedly met with agents from Israel's Mossad intelligence agency.
Further reports have emerged of an agreement between Haftar's family and an Israeli company specializing in political lobbying and communications, facilitated by the United Arab Emirates. The report by Il Fatto Quotidiano suggests that Haftar's meeting with Netanyahu may be part of a broader effort to reestablish his legitimacy in the eyes of the US government.
According to information obtained by Il Fatto Quotidiano, Haftar is scheduled to meet with US Vice President JD Vance in Washington soon, following a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in June. The report suggests that Haftar is seeking to reestablish his legitimacy in the eyes of the US government, which is critical to his efforts to maintain his influence in Libya.
The meeting between Haftar and Netanyahu has raised questions about the extent of Libya's relations with Israel and the role of external actors in the country's politics. Libya has historically maintained a tense relationship with Israel, and the country's authorities have been critical of Israeli policies in the past.
The development has sparked concerns about the potential implications for Libya's domestic politics and its relations with other countries in the region. As Haftar seeks to reestablish his legitimacy in the eyes of the US government, it remains to be seen how his meeting with Netanyahu will impact his influence in Libya and the broader region.
Key points
- Haftar's meeting with Netanyahu is part of his efforts to regain legitimacy in the eyes of the US government.
- The meeting is not the first of its kind between Haftar and Israeli officials, with previous reports suggesting that Haftar has met with Israeli officials in secret.
- The development has raised questions about the extent of Libya's relations with Israel and the role of external actors in the country's politics.
