Attorney Mordechai Tzivin, who deals with international legal matters and also represents Israeli Arabs in enemy countries, has met in recent years with senior Libyan officials , including the Libyan deputy prime minister and the son of General Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the Libyan National Army and ruler of Benghazi, who he met in Jordan.
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The meetings took place in several Arab countries under a veil of secrecy, including Egypt and Dubai, with the knowledge of senior Israeli officials, but were kept secret.
The Libyan officials explained to Tzivin that they preferred, for practical and other reasons, to have contact with a Jewish-Israeli attorney, and asked Tzivin to handle a sensitive international matter which could harm the status of the Libyans in the world, and also to serve as a contact person for the European Union and the Council of Europe.
Tzivin said that in the many talks he had with senior Libyans, he came to know that they actually love Israel, hate the radical Islamists and even remember and "miss" their neighbors from the Jewish community, with whom they had good relations.
"These are people of the greater world, not religious extremists and, contrary to popular opinion, they are people of the culture," according to Tzivin. "They emphasize that Israel is their preferred country for receiving help in various fields. They believe in the legendary 'Jewish mind,' and nostalgically recall that Libyan Jews that developed trade in the country."
The disclosure of Tzivin 's visits comes after the harsh reactions in Libya to the meeting of Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush with Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. Mangoush was removed from her post after the meeting was revealed, and she was forced to flee to Turkey. At the same time, spontaneous demonstrations erupted in Libya in which Israeli flags were burned, and on social nrks theetwore was severe incitement against the minister - who was called, among other things, a "traitor" and a "criminal."