Israel says its foreign minister met with his Libyan counterpart in sign of burgeoning ties

Israel's Foreign Ministry says the Israeli and Libyan foreign ministers met secretly in Italy last week. It says the talks in Rome marked the first-ever meeting between the country’s top diplomats. The meeting between Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Najla Mangoush, foreign minister of the Tripoli-based government, marked a small breakthrough for Israel. The country's hard-line policies toward the Palestinians have led to a cooling of its burgeoning ties with the Arab world. The late Libyan leader, Moammar Gadhafi, was hostile to Israel and a staunch supporter of the Palestinians. After reaching diplomatic agreements with four Arab countries in 2020, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been looking for new partners in the Arab world.