Libyan delegation reportedly visited Israel, met Livni

Senior delegation sent by Gaddafi attempted to alter Israeli perception of the embattled leader, passed along "digital media", Channel 2 says.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Gaddafi on state TV 311 (photo credit: REUTERS/Libyan TV)
Gaddafi on state TV 311
(photo credit: REUTERS/Libyan TV)
A delegation from Libya sent by leader Muammar Gaddafi recently visited Israel and met with opposition leader Tzipi Livni and other officials, Channel 2 reported on Sunday.
According to the report, the delegation of four senior Libyan officials received visas from the Israeli embassy in Paris after gaining approval from Israeli security services. Once in Israel, the delegation immediately asked to meet with Livni.
RELATED:Gaddafi secretly tried to buy Knesset influence in 2007 Gaddafi invites Libya's former Jews to dialogue
Upon receiving the invitation for a meeting, Livni immediately turned to security officials, who gave their approval for the opposition leader to meet with the Gaddafi delegation.
According to the report, Gaddafi's motive in sending the officials was to attempt changing Israeli perceptions of the embattled Libyan leader, and to try and prevent Israel from supporting Libyan rebels, who have been fighting government forces for months.
As part of that effort, the Libyans reportedly gave Livni "digital media," which she handed over to security officials.
In the four-day visit, the senior Libyan officials reportedly met with other Israeli officials in addition to the opposition leader.
Earlier this year, a leader of a Jewish group told The Jerusalem Post that Libya secretly offered to give Israelis of Libyan descent an undisclosed sum of money if they agreed to form a "Libyan political party."
Meir Kahlon, chairman of the World Organization of Libyan Jews, said that between 2005 and 2007, he and two other members of his organization had secretly traveled to Amman to meet with a representative of the Libyan government over the unresolved issue of Jewish assets in the North African country.
“He said that they could not give us money directly because we live in Israel, but they were willing to give us money if we were to form a Libyan political party,” said Kahlon, who lives in the Tel Aviv suburb of Or Yehuda.
“He didn’t say how much, and I can’t tell you the name of the official, but the offer was on the table.”
Gil Shefler contributed to this report