Israel cannot be trusted after Libya debacle, Lapid charges at Cohen

Lapid: FM lacks diplomatic experience • publication of meeting was “amateurish, irresponsible, and reflected a serious failure of judgment”

TOVAH LAZAROFFAUGUST 28, 2023 10:59AUGUST 28, 2023 11:07

 (L-R) Opposition head Yair Lapid; Foreign Minister Eli Cohen (photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

The uproar caused in Tripoli by Foreign Minister Eli Cohen’s “amateurish” publication of his meeting with his Libyan counterpart proves that this government can’t be trusted to handle sensitive diplomatic issues, opposition head MK Yair Lapid charged on Monday morning.

“The global community is looking this morning at Israel’s irresponsible leak of the Libya foreign ministers meeting, and asking themselves: is this a country with which we can conduct foreign relations? Is this a country one can trust?,” Lapid charged on X, formerly Twitter.

He blamed Cohen’s lack of diplomatic experience, stating that Israel’s publication of the meeting was “amateurish, irresponsible, and reflected a serious failure of judgment. This is a morning of national disgrace in which human life was put at risk for a headline,” Lapid wrote.

Eli Cohen must resign, Labor’s Michaeli said

Labor party leader MK Merav Michaeli called on Cohen to resign.

”The spirit of the Likudiada is permeating Israel’s foreign policy and seriously harming it.”

“Minister Eli Cohen should put his keys on the table and resign. The damage he has done is unprecedented. One hasty publication has ruined the life of the Libyan minister who has had to flee to Turkey and has caused international damage to Israel.

השר אלי כהן צריך להניח את המפתחות ולהתפטר. הנזק שעשה הוא חסר תקדים. פרסום נמהר אחד הרס את החיים לשרה הלובית שנאלצה לברוח לטורקיה ויצר נזק בינלאומי לישראל. אף גורם בינלאומי דיסקרטי רציני לא ירצה להיפגש עם שר חוץ שכל מטרתו היא יצירת הון פוליטי ולייקים בטוויטר. מדיניות הליכודיאדה…

— Merav Michaeli מרב מיכאלי (@MeravMichaeli) August 28, 2023
“No serious, discreet international official would want to meet with a foreign minister whose entire purpose is to make political capital and accumulate Twitter likes,” Michaeli said.

Content retrieved from: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-756526.