Amit Segal reveals the putsch: how Barkat tried to topple Netanyahu
Political commentator Amit Segal has revealed details of an alleged attempt by Economy Minister Nir Barkat to oust Benjamin Netanyahu from the premiership following October 7. According to Segal, Barkat spent months lobbying ministers and MKs until Haim Katz alerted the Prime Minister to the plot.
Channel 12 political commentator Amit Segal published details this Tuesday regarding what he claims was an attempt by Minister of Economy Nir Barkat to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and replace him in the role, shortly after the start of the Iron Swords war.
"In October 2023, Nir Barkat held frantic consultations with his numerous paid advisors. On the agenda: a plan to oust Netanyahu and replace him with Prime Minister Nir Barkat. As usual, the execution was expensive, clumsy, and failed," wrote Segal.
According to the journalist, between October 2023 and March 2024, Barkat attempted to block the budget, opposed the government from the right, and then flanked it from the left by calling for restraint regarding investigative committees.
"In between, he met with ministers, MKs, and media figures and explained to them why only he could save the country. The country, to one's surprise, was not convinced," he added. Segal further noted: "On the last day of November 2023, Haim Katz arrived at Netanyahu's office and told him about the putsch. Netanyahu neutralized the threat through maintenance conversations, promotions, and by sending one of the rebels to a position abroad."
"In his distress, having failed in the struggle against Netanyahu, Barkat tried to appease Likud members through a fund for lawsuits against Channel 12. That didn't catch on much either," he wrote, concluding that if Barkat denies these claims, "the minimum required is a huge libel lawsuit tomorrow morning."
When asked by followers why Netanyahu did not fire Barkat if he was aware of the move, Segal replied: "An excellent question. Because Netanyahu did not feel then that he had enough margin to give up a vote in the Knesset. Today, in my opinion, it is because of Barkat's lawsuit fund, which also finances lawsuits for people close to those in Netanyahu's office."
Segal added: "If I were a Likud minister on the eve of primaries and I was falsely accused of a putsch against Netanyahu, I would immediately file a libel lawsuit. He already sued Channel 12 for 12 million shekels. Money is not the problem. So what is the problem?"
