The United States is advancing a new diplomatic initiative to unify Libya's divided government, with US presidential adviser Massad Boulos at the forefront of efforts to integrate state institutions and promote American oil investments. The plan has gained support from eastern-based military commander Khalifa Haftar's forces and over 100 members of the eastern House of Representatives, though questions remain about the authenticity of some endorsements. In western Libya, al-Watan Party leader Abdul Hakim Belhaj broke political silence on June 21 by backing the US proposal, urging the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) to clarify its stance. Belhaj described the initiative as a chance to pursue "the possible and acceptable" in ending Libya's prolonged political split.
Support in the east has been framed as a sign of momentum, but skepticism persists. Mohammed al-Maazab of the High Council of State claimed some House of Representatives members were listed as supporters without consent, calling Belhaj's move a symbolic "leap in the air" with little impact on real power dynamics. Meanwhile, political analyst Abdulsalam al-Rajhi criticized the plan as resembling a private deal rather than a democratic roadmap, citing leaks that it would place Saddam Haftar, son of Khalifa Haftar, as head of a new Presidential Council, and Ibrahim Dbeibah, nephew of current Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, as prime minister. Al-Rajhi noted both individuals were named in a UN Panel of Experts report for alleged involvement in illicit oil smuggling and financial misappropriation. Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad held rare talks in Tripoli with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, signaling heightened regional engagement. Simultaneously, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a new "R-4" regional mechanism with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye to bolster stability in the region.
The US-backed plan hinges on elevating politically connected relatives of existing power brokers, raising concerns that it entrenches dynastic influence rather than dismantles it. If Saddam Haftar and Ibrahim Dbeibah are central to the proposal, as leaks suggest, the initiative risks appearing less as a unification effort and more as a renegotiation of elite privileges. The involvement of Egyptian intelligence and the new R-4 mechanism underscores regional jockeying masked as stability-building.
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