Vice President Biden met today at the White House with Finance Minister Yair Lapid of Israel who is visiting Washington, D.C. for the Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund. They were joined by Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew and White House Middle East Coordinator Phil Gordon. In a wide ranging conversation, the Vice President and Minister Lapid discussed Israel’s economy as well as regional issues, including recent developments with regard to Iran, Israel’s negotiations with the Palestinians, and the importance of strengthened economic cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.