JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met with senior Palestinian official Hussein al-Sheikh on Sunday.
“I met this evening with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and we discussed several political and bilateral issues. I have highlighted the need for a political horizon between the two parties based on #international legitimacy,” Hussein tweeted.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the announcement. Hamas condemned the meeting, calling it a “betrayal.”
Hussein is one of the closest advisors to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and leads the Palestinian government office responsible for overseeing relations with Israel.
The meeting is the latest in a series of high-level discussions between senior Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has met with President Abbas twice in recent months. Both meetings ended with Israel announcing confidence-building measures towards the Palestinians, including the approval of additional work permits for Palestinians in the West Bank – biblical Judea and Samaria.
After his discussion with Lapid on Sunday, Hussein said 500 undocumented residents in the West Bank would receive Palestinian IDs.
The Israeli government’s openness to meet with Palestinian officials marks a shift from former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition, which rarely saw meetings between senior Israeli and Palestinian officials.
The current government coalition, led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, is made up of parties from Israel’s political left, right and center, and includes leaders who are more open to diplomacy with the Palestinians.
Bennett has refused to restart peace negotiations with the Palestinians but supports strengthening the Palestinian Authority to be a counterbalance against the rival Hamas terror organization and improving the Palestinians’ weak economy.
Lapid is set to replace Bennett in 2023 and has said he does not intend to dramatically change the current government coalition’s policy towards the Palestinians.
“Even after [I rotate in as prime minister], the coalition will be obligated to already-reached agreements, and I will abide by every agreement that I made with my partners,” Lapid said, adding that his agreement with Bennett includes not restarting peace negotiations with Palestinian leaders.
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