Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a directive that requires his office to approve all covert political talks in advance amid uproar over the disclosure of an unprecedented meeting between top Israeli and Libyan diplomats. Netanyahu’s spokesman, Topaz Luk, said on Tuesday that in addition to prior approval, the order also mandated the Israeli premier personally allow the publication of news on secret meetings. In a press statement released on Sunday, Cohen announced that the “historic” sit-down took place in Rome last week. Israeli opposition and coalition figures also lashed out at Cohen for damaging the regime’s foreign ties and endangering the Libyan foreign minister. A US official said Cohen’s revelation “killed” the conversation channel with Libya about possibly normalizing ties with Israel.
