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By Libya Herald reporter.
Tunis, 4 March 2016:
While waiting for the House of Representatives to meet and decide on his proposed government, . . .[restrict]the head of the Presidency Council, prime minister-designate Faiez Serraj, is heading to Jakarta to attend the special summit of Islamic states to be held on Sunday and Monday. Heads of state or government from the 57 members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation are due in the Indonesian capital to discuss the continuing expansion of Israeli settlements, repeated Israeli moves to prevent Muslims from praying at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and how to direct international attention towards them.
Despite being primarily about Palestine, Serraj, invited by the Indonesian government, is expected to use the occasion to lobby Muslim leaders to support his UN-endorsed Government of National Accord, especially in its fight against terrorism, and to back moves to end continuing UN sanctions against the sale of arms.
Meanwhile, one of the five deputy prime ministers-designate, Ahmed Maetig, has been in Rome for talks with the Italian government about how it too could support the GNA and security in Libya.
For the moment, Italy is focussed on the deaths of two of its citizens held hostage by Islamic State (IS) supporters in Sabratha and the release of two others seized with them nine months ago. However, it has offered to take the lead in any military operation to smash IS in Libya, so long as the Libyan government requests it and the UN approves it.
It is reported to be willing to provide up to 5,000 troops in the event of military action, despite warnings that any Italian military involvement in Libya could very easily backfire. [/restrict]
