Netanyahu Met Khalifa Haftar's Son in UAE, Italian Paper Reports

Italian newspaper "Il Foglio" revealed on Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Saddam Haftar, the son of Libyan National Army commander Khalifa Haftar, during a recent visit to the United Arab Emirates. According to the report, Saddam Haftar arrived in the UAE approximately 20 minutes after Netanyahu's arrival.

This alleged meeting follows previous reports of encounters between Haftar and senior Israeli officials. In 2021, it was claimed that a plane belonging to Haftar landed at Ben Gurion Airport. These reports emerge amid ongoing Israeli contacts with Libyan parties.

In 2023, then-Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen disclosed a meeting with Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush, who was aligned with the anti-Haftar camp, before her dismissal. Khalifa Haftar has controlled large areas in eastern Libya for over a decade amidst the country's ongoing political and military division since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.

Libya has been divided since 2014 between rival administrations in the east and west, with the internationally recognized government based in Tripoli and an eastern authority in Benghazi. These factions have received support from various regional and international powers.

Netanyahu's visit to the UAE on Sunday included a meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, accompanied by key Israeli security and intelligence officials. Netanyahu's office stated the visit aimed to "strengthen relations between the two countries and discuss regional challenges." Associated Press reported that Netanyahu asked bin Zayed to deny prior reports of warnings about the October 7th attack.