Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Saddam Haftar, the son of eastern Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar, during his visit to the United Arab Emirates, Italian newspaper Il Foglio reported Tuesday. The alleged meeting has not been independently confirmed by another source.
According to the Italian report, Saddam Haftar landed in the UAE around 20 minutes after Netanyahu.
Saddam Haftar, the son of eastern Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar
(Photo: Media office of Khalifa Haftar / AFP)
Previous reports have linked Haftar to contacts with senior Israeli officials. In 2021, it was reported that one of his aircraft landed at Ben Gurion Airport.
Previous reported contacts with Israel
This would not be the first reported contact between Saddam Haftar and Israel.
Reports in 2021 said Haftar had met Israeli officials, though the contacts were never officially confirmed.
Saddam is the son of Khalifa Haftar, the general who has controlled eastern Libya for more than a decade.
Libya has remained deeply divided since the 2011 overthrow of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi, whose 42-year rule ended when he was captured and killed.
Hopes that Gaddafi’s fall would put Libya on a path toward democracy quickly gave way to civil war, militia violence and political fragmentation.
Since 2014, Libya has effectively been divided between rival governments. One is based in the western capital Tripoli and has received international recognition, while the rival eastern administration is centered around Benghazi and backed by Haftar’s forces.
The rival camps have also drawn support from competing foreign powers. Turkey and Qatar have supported authorities in Tripoli, while Egypt, the UAE, Russia and France have maintained ties with Haftar’s eastern camp.
Previous Libya controversy
Israel’s contacts with Libya have previously caused political turmoil.
In 2023, then-Foreign Minister Eli Cohen revealed that he had met Libya’s foreign minister, who belonged to the western camp opposed to Haftar during the country’s civil conflict. She was ultimately dismissed from her post following the uproar.
Netanyahu traveled to the UAE on Sunday, accompanied by his wife, Sara.
His office said he met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and that the visit focused on “strengthening relations between the two countries and regional challenges.”
Netanyahu was accompanied by the head of the National Security Council, the Mossad chief, his military secretary and his diplomatic adviser.
Whether a meeting with Saddam Haftar formed part of the visit remains unverified. No source other than the Italian report has so far confirmed that it took place.