Tripoli, Libya – Amid a flurry of regional diplomacy and intelligence manoeuvring, Libya’s political crisis stands at a critical juncture. A new United States-backed initiative aiming to end the country’s institutional divide and unify its executive authorities has gained notable traction in the east, in effect putting the ball in the court of western Libyan factions.Spearheaded by Massad Boulos, the US presidential adviser for Middle Eastern and African affairs, the plan focuses on forming a unified government, integrating state institutions and encouraging American oil investments. While Boulos has pitched the proposal as a complement to ongoing United Nations efforts, the initiative has led to intense debate over whether Washington can successfully bridge Libya’s traditional divides, or if this plan will simply join a long list of failed settlements.Breaking the silence in TripoliThe political quiet in western Libya was abruptly broken on June 21 when Abdul Hakim Belhaj, a prominent political figure and former commander of the Tripoli Military Council, issued a statement officially backing the US initiative.Belhaj, who currently heads the al-Watan Party, called on the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) to clearly state its position on the proposal. He described the US plan as an “opportunity to accelerate reaching political solutions that end the current state of political division,” stressing that any settlement under current circumstances must be based on the “ …
