Nir Barkat | |
|---|---|
ניר ברקת | |
 Official portrait, 2023 | |
| Mayor of Jerusalem | |
| In office 11 November 2008 – 4 December 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Uri Lupolianski |
| Succeeded by | Moshe Lion |
| Ministerial roles | |
| 2023–[1] | Minister of Economy and Industry |
| Faction represented in theKnesset | |
| 2019– | Likud |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1959-10-19)19 October 1959 (age 66) |
| Political party | Likud (since 2019) |
| Other political affiliations | Jerusalem will Succeed (2003-2019) |
| Spouse | Beverly Barkat |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Israel Defense Forces |
| Years of service | 1977–1983 |
| Rank | Rav séren (Major) |
| Unit | 98th Paratroopers Division |
| Battles/wars | |
Nir Barkat (Hebrew:נִיר בַּרְקָת; born 19 October 1959) is an Israeli businessman and politician, currently serving asMinister of Economy. He previously served asmayor of Jerusalem from 2008 to 2018.
Nir Barkat was born and raised inJerusalem.[2] His father, Zalman, was a physics professor at theHebrew University, and his mother was afolk dancing instructor.[3] His grandparents immigrated from Poland and Russia.[4]
Barkat joined the98th Paratroopers Division of theIsrael Defense Forces in 1977 and served for six years,[3] including reserve duty, reaching the rank ofmajor. Barkat was wounded in combat in Lebanon, during Operation Movil. He earned aBA incomputer science from theHebrew University of Jerusalem, and lives in the Jerusalem neighborhood ofBeit HaKerem with his wife, Beverly. They have three daughters.[2]
Barkat started his career in the high-tech industry by founding a software company called BRM in 1988, which specialized inantivirus software.[5] Later, the company became an incubator venture firm that invested in several companies such asCheck Point and Backweb.[6] He later helped found the social investment company IVN, Israel Venture Network. In 2007, Barkat took part in the Israeli version ofDragons' Den, the venture-capitalist television program, which consists of entrepreneurs pitching their ideas in order to secure investment from business experts.
According to Forbes in 2013, Barkat's net worth is estimated at NIS 450 million (about $122 million), more than the combined value of the next three politicians on the list making him the wealthiest Israeli politician.[7][8][9] On 3 October 2021, Barkat's name was included among 565 Israelis whose names were included in the Pandora papers.[10] As mayor, he did not take any salary from the city of Jerusalem.[7]
Nir Barkat's entry into politics was gradual, after his exposure to and philanthropic investments in Jerusalem's education system. In 1999, the Barkat family began to explore the educational gaps in Jerusalem through their investment in The Snunit Center for the Advancement of Web Based Learning, a non-profit, non-governmental organization which uses web based resources to improve online education and improve personal and social growth within the Israeli society.[11] Barkat saw this investment as the beginning of his interest in entering into Jerusalem's municipal politics.
Barkat's official entry into politics began in January 2003, when he founded the partyYerushalayim Tatzli'ah ("Jerusalem Will Succeed") and ran in the Jerusalem mayoral race, securing 43% of the vote and losing toUri Lupoliansky. After his initial loss, Barkat served as head of the opposition on the city council until his election as mayor in 2008. During this period he helped formStartUp Jerusalem, a venture to create jobs in the capital.[12][13] He briefly led the Jerusalem faction of the Kadima party[14][15][16] from 2006 - 2007, then a powerhouse in Israeli politics, but left due to disagreements with the proposal to relinquish portions of Jerusalem.[17][18][19]
Barkat ran for a second time in November 2008, this time winning the election with 52% of the vote (his main rival,Meir Porush, won 43%). Barkat was described as a secular politician, contrasting with both Lupoliansky and Porush, who areHaredi.[20][21] He ran on a platform of increasing tourism, finding solutions to the housing crisis, and opposing the light rail. He also vowed to make city council more approachable and transparent and decried the use of the mayors office a stepping stone to national politics.[22][23] Controversies during his first term included the dismissal of city council member Rachel Azaria[24] and his proposal for relinquishing predominantly Arab populated neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city limits.[25] He helped to initiate the city's first international marathon in 2011[26] and has personally participating in races both in Jerusalem and abroad.[27]
In 2013, he ran for a second term, during which he was endorsed by theLabor Party, and also by a range of prominent Likud activists; he also had the tacit support ofMeretz, which withdrew its candidate, Pepe Alalu, in order not to steal votes away from Barkat.[28][29] His opponentMoshe Lion had backing fromAvigdor Lieberman, head of theYisrael Beiteinu party andAryeh Deri, head ofShas.[30] Barkat was re-elected with 52% of the vote compared to his main opponent Moshe Lion former head of theJerusalem Development Authority, who ran as the Likud candidate who garnered 43% of the electorate.[31][32][33] Lion has since served as a member of city council and in 2015 joined Barkat's coalition.[34] Following the tense campaign, Barkat was fined NIS 400,000 for improper use of election funds.[35] Since his election as Mayor, Barkat served the city for a salary of one shekel a year.[36]
Controversies of his second term included the Formula 1 exhibition,[37] part of the mayor's effort to raise Jerusalem's status as a cultural capital of the world and increase tourism. The Jerusalem Formula One event took place in 2013[38] and in 2014 but garnered criticism for street closures which led to school cancellations, over expenditures, and its appropriateness for the city.[39][40] Other controversies included planned addition to the light rail, specifically the blue line, which was planned to run down Emek Refaim street.[41][42] Barkat also had a long-running feud with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon over funding which led to city-wide strikes several years in a row.[43] Kahlon argued that Barkat was wasting funding and mismanagement,[44] while Barkat argued that Kahlon was withholding funds for political reasons.[45] The resulting strikes caused garbage to pile up throughout the city and the threat of mass dismissals of municipal employees.[46][47]
In December 2015 Barkat joined the Likud party.[48][49][50] He previously endorsed Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu for Prime Minister in the 2013 and 2015 Knesset elections.[51][52] In March 2018 he announced his intention to run for national politics rather than seek re-election for a third term as mayor.[53]
Since the mid-2000s, Jerusalem has developed into a regional center for tech start-ups, and was named the #1 emerging tech hub byEntrepreneur magazine.[54] Barkat's administration has provided incentives, tax breaks, and grants for companies with employees living in the city. By 2016, over 500 start-ups had been established in Jerusalem, bringing in upwards of $243 million in investment in the first nine months of 2015.[55] "'After the election of [Mayor Nir] Barkat, personal activism strengthened in the city. People felt they had influence, and it really connected with the entrepreneurial character', said Dana Mann, a partner in PICO Ventures, and previously a partner in OurCrowd."[55]
Barkat has come under fire from some women's rights activists.[who?] Some women on the Jerusalem City Council have protested illegal modesty signs.[who?] Jerusalem city councilwomanRachel Azaria, who brought the case of gender-segregated buses in Jerusalem to the court's attention, was fired by Barkat.[56]Laura Wharton, a member of Jerusalem City Council, complained about the illegal modesty signs, but claims she was brushed off."[57] Barkat has criticizedWomen of the Wall for their confrontational efforts to pray at the Kotel.[58]
In February 2015, Barkat garnered international attention when he intervened after seeing a Palestinian man trying to stab a Jewish person. Barkat succeeded in physically subduing the attacker, with the Mayoral security detail coming in immediately afterward and the victim receiving first aid. The Tzahal Square incident prompted responses from figures such as formerIsraeli ambassador to the United StatesMichael Oren, who stated that Barkat had "courageously" acted, as well as commentators onFacebook who shared tongue-in-cheek images depicting Barkat asBatman,Neo, and other film characters.[59] In October 2015, he encouraged Israelis to carry guns as a "duty" in light of increased tensions. His comments were criticised by various commentators.[60]
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(January 2023) |
In March 2018 he announced he would not run for another term in the Municipal Election, and instead will join theLikud Party, to be a member ofKnesset in next elections. On 4 December 2018, he ceased serving as mayor.[61]
Barkat was appointed Minister of Economy and Industry on 1 January 2023, on behalf of his party, the Likud.[1]
After the Israeli military police in July 2024 visitedSde Teiman detention camp to detain nine Israeli soldiers suspected of abuse of a Palestinian prisoner, Barkat declared: "I support our fighters and call on the defense minister to immediately put a stop to the despicable show trial against them."[62]
In June 2025, Nir Barkat, then serving as Minister of Economy, faced controversy when his neighbor, Dr. Renana Keydar, was arrested during a peaceful protest outside his home. The protest involved singing and holding signs related to hostages, but Keydar, who was not even part of the protesting group, was detained for wearing a hat that said "Democracy." The arrest escalated to a strip search, which Keydar described as humiliating and potentially sexually abusive, raising significant concerns about police conduct and the suppression of dissent. This incident was part of a broader pattern of police actions against protesters since the beginning of the Gaza war, highlighting tensions around freedom of expression and the right to protest in Israel. The event sparked outrage and drew comparisons to authoritarian practices, further fueling debates about democratic values and government response to dissent. An interview with Keydar, conducted by N12 News and shared on social media, detailed the arrest and subsequent treatment, amplifying public and media scrutiny of the event.[63]
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Mayor of Jerusalem 2008–2018 | Succeeded by |
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| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
