Coffee with a rising star, fine dining with business leaders... some holiday!
PRITI Patel met the rising star of Israeli politics – the main rival of its prime minister – for coffee.
The International Development Secretary yesterday revealed that she took time out from her holiday in Israel to meet four political figures – including the country’s former finance minister, Yair Lapid tipped as a possible future leader.
Mr Lapid, 54, an ex-journalist, is one of the favourites in the country’s polls after long-serving Benjamin Netanyahu has been dogged by corruption scandals involving bribery and fraud. The ongoing cases have seen him questioned several times under caution by police.
Miss Patel, 45, and Mr Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, are understood to have discussed issues such as a family life and macroeconomics, which is not in her brief, during a ‘warm and friendly’ 45-minute meeting at a cafe in the capital Tel Aviv on August 24.
Mrs Patel studied an economics degree before working in the Treasury, giving the pair a shared interest.
Miss Patel was also summoned by leader Mr Netanyahu, 68, who had expressed ‘an interest’ in meeting her when he heard she was in the country.
While in Tel Aviv, Miss Patel, attended a dinner at a high-end restaurant in the city with a group of entrepreneurs and charity workers.
The dinner is understood to have been held at Liliyot restaurant in Tel Aviv, which serves international cuisine.
Options on the menu include beef fillet carpaccio and chopped liver in duck fat to start as well as spice crusted tuna and veal cheek for main course options. Mrs Patel is believed to have chosen a vegetarian dish.
Sivan Ya’ari, the founder and chief executive of Innovation Africa a nonprofit which brings Israeli solar, agricultural and water technologies to rural African areas, said: ‘It was a friendly dinner, she was really lovely – she was here on vacation. She is so young and pretty and successful. I told her about our mission to bring solar energy [to Africa].’
A spokesman for Mr Lapid said yesterday: ‘Yair Lapid regularly meets with senior leaders from abroad who are meeting Israel.’
David Keyes, Mr Netanyahu’s spokesman said last night: ‘It was a private visit and the prime minister expressed an interest in meeting with her.’