️🇱🇾🇮🇱🇺🇸 ⁠Il Foglio: Saddam Haftar aims to build a network of political connections in Washington and Israel while trying to strengthen his position as a potential leader of a united Libya.

️🇱🇾🇮🇱🇺🇸 ⁠Il Foglio: Saddam Haftar aims to build a network of political connections in Washington and Israel while trying to strengthen his position as a potential leader of a united Libya.

The newspaper reports that Haftar secretly met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Abu Dhabi on Monday, citing flight tracking data and Haftar's former adviser, Mohammed Boisier, who said the meeting was aimed at securing Israeli political support for Saddam Haftar's bid for the presidency of Libya.

Il Foglio also reports that Hafter is seeking a meeting with US Vice President JD Vance and is trying to establish contacts with US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, while Ballard Partners is lobbying on his behalf in Washington.

The reported disclosure comes as Haftar faces allegations of his involvement in a Libyan "terrorist cell" accused of attacks in western Libya. Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dabaiba publicly accused the ousted Saddam Haftar of being behind the cell, while the allegations are still disputed.