The head of Libya's Government of National Unity confirmed on Tuesday that “there has not been and there will be no normalization with Israel,” stressing that what is happening to Gaza has left no room for thinking about the matter.

Abdulhamid Dabaiba said: “Libya has had no relationship with Israel historically, since the establishment of the Zionist state, and the Libyan people have not and will not have a relationship with Israel as long as it does not restore the rights of the Palestinian people.”

Dabaiba's comments came on Al Jazeera's 'Atheer' Podcast.

He added: “Of course, the political halls have some discussions and some meetings, sometimes by chance, and sometimes with some directly with parties. But we have not opened this door, and normalization has not and will not happen, especially with what is happening in Gaza today, there is no room left for real thinking about this matter”.

Dabaiba's former foreign minister, Najla Mangoush met with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen in Rome in August 2023. 

The revelation of the meeting sparked condemnatory reactions in Libya, causing Mangoush to be suspended and referred to investigation before she fled the country.