Libya to probe 'extent of damage' after diplomat's covert talks with Israel

Libya's chief prosecutor has said he would establish a fact-finding mission to investigate a secret meeting last month between the country's foreign minister and Israel's chief diplomat.

In a terse statement on Saturday, General Prosecutor Al Sediq al Sour said the fact-finding mission would probe violations of Libya's rules of boycotting Israel and "investigate the extent of damage to Libya's interests" because of the secret meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers.

The August 22 meeting in Rome between now sacked foreign minister Najla Mangoush and her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen caused an uproar across the North African nation.

On Thursday, Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah rejected the prospect of normalising ties with Israel, stressing his country’s support for Palestine.

"We affirm our rejection of any form of normalisation," Dbeibah said during a televised ministerial meeting on Thursday evening.

"Long live Libya, long live Palestine, and long live the Palestinian cause in all of our hearts," he remarked.

Libya criminalises establishing ties with Israel under a 1957 law.

The oil-rich country has long been hostile toward Israel's occupation and supportive of the Palestinians.