Israel's Lapid Meets With Palestinian Civil Affairs Minister

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met with Palestinian Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh on Sunday. According to an Israeli source, the two discussed the serious economic problems in the West Bank and how to advance initiatives to boost the Palestinian economy.

It was not the first meeting between Lapid and al-Sheikh, and Lapid informed Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Defense Minister Benny Gantz about the meeting in advance.

After Gantz hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at his home last month, Lapid met with the head of the Palestinian intelligence services to discuss economic and security issues, chiefly security coordination between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Earlier this month, Lapid said that the government does not plan to conduct negotiations with the Palestinians even after he becomes prime minister, assuming he takes over the role as planned in August of next year.

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Lapid explained that the coalition agreements signed when the government was formed preclude such negotiations, but said he would attempt to persuade his coalition partners to restart talks.