Libya confronts refugee policy lies

Reports claiming Libya’s willingness to accept Palestinian refugees have been firmly denied by the Government of National Unity (GNU), revealing what appears to be a coordinated media effort to exploit the Palestinian cause for political purposes against Libya’s current administration.

On 3 March 2025, the GNU categorically rejected allegations published by the American Thinker platform that claimed Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dabaiba had agreed to receive 200,000 Gazan refugees following Egypt’s refusal of President Trump’s proposal. In its official statement, the government described these claims as “completely fabricated” and not issued by any official Libyan body.

The GNU questioned the credibility of both the platform and the report’s author, Jerome R. Corsi, stating that American Thinker “has no weight in professional media circles and is known for promoting fake news and conspiracy theories,” whilst characterising Corsi as having “a long record of publishing misleading and fabricated information.”

This incident follows a pattern of using the Palestinian issue to target the GNU, similar to previous controversies such as the diplomatic incident involving former Foreign Minister Najla Al-Mangoush’s meeting with her Israeli counterpart in Italy.

The report notably omitted mention of statements by Khalifa Haftar regarding his readiness to settle 12 million people in Libya, focusing instead on portraying Egypt’s government as defending Palestinian interests despite its limited action during more than 15 months of conflict in Gaza.

Reaffirming Libya’s position, Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Taher Al-Baour met with Palestinian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Mustafa on 4 March 2025, during preparatory meetings for the emergency Arab Summit in Cairo. Al-Baour emphasised that “Libya rejects any attempts to displace Palestinians from their homes” and reiterated Libya’s “firm position in supporting the Palestinian cause.”

Libya’s support for Palestinians has been demonstrated through tangible actions. On 25 February 2025, the Minister of Technical and Vocational Education, Yakhlef Al-Sayfaw, granted Palestinian students free study placements with equal status to Libyan students in all administrative, financial, and educational procedures.

During a meeting with Palestinian education officials, agreements were reached to enhance cooperation in technical education, specialisation development, and scientific research exchange.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​