Al-Hayat: There is talk that the international community seeks to resolve the crisis in Libya by sponsoring dialogue among the parties. What do you say about that?
Jibril: When the international community interfered in the name of national dialogue, it interfered the wrong way and it applied the power-sharing principle. How can power be shared in a country where there is no power yet? Delusive structures for a nonexistent state started to be created. I repeatedly warned the envoys of the United Nations that such approach will only aggravate the situation and deplete the Libyans' funds, and probably lead to the country’s partition. This is because the real and active forces outside the dialogue are represented by leaders of militias, tribes’ elders, leaders of political entities and some symbols and followers of the previous regime. These forces are the ones that represent the reality on the ground and were excluded from the dialogue. Thus, creating delusive structures does not solve the problem. This is why the failure and inefficiency of Sarraj’s government were to be expected. He does not have the capability, and was not given money and arms. How can a weak government impose control on Libyan territory?
We support the dialogue, but we are against the current approach. The government is doomed to failure, since it is not an efficient government. It has no army or police and no money. How will it meet citizens’ urgent needs? I advised Sarraj not to enter Tripoli so as not to become a hostage in the hands of the militias. He told me that he was being pressured to enter Tripoli. I said, “If there is pressure, then ask the international community to release the frozen funds to meet Libyans’ needs and to provide arms to the army to ensure security.” But the arms embargo continued and the frozen funds are yet to be released. How will you face the Libyans?” Unfortunately he did not take my advice, and entered Tripoli.
Al-Hayat: Back to the NATO meeting in Brussels in 2011, during which it announced the end of its mission in Libya. What do you still remember in this regard?
Jibril: It was a difficult meeting. I was trying as much as possible to convince the audience that the international community's task had just started. NATO intervened to settle scores with Gadhafi and when Gadhafi’s regime ended, the international community abandoned the Libyan case. That was a fatal mistake, which puts the international community’s intention toward the Libyans into question. We were left as a society without a state, where arms and militias are widespread. We became a tribal society filled with calls for revenge. It was as if this society was pushed to enter into a civil war.
Al-Hayat: Do you think that the international community wanted to push Libya to this scenario?