Israeli Politics

Likud Minister Tried to Oust PM: Reporter

Journalist Amit Segal alleges that Minister Nir Barkat organized meetings to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the months following the Hamas attack

Gila Isaacson, Srugim

AUG 11, 2026 22:10

2 min read

Political correspondent Amit Segal made a striking allegation Tuesday evening, claiming that Economy Minister Nir Barkat led an effort to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from office in the months following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

Writing on social media, Segal stated: "It's remarkable that Barkat pays no price within Likud for the attempted ousting of Netanyahu that he led and organized in the months after October 7. Meetings, persuasion efforts, coordination—there are many in Likud who can tell what he said to them and how he planned to remove the Prime Minister."

Barkat, a former mayor of Jerusalem, serves in Netanyahu's cabinet as a member of the ruling Likud party.

Segal's claim followed a report on Israel's Channel 12 News, in which sources close to Netanyahu suggested that the appointment of tech entrepreneur Oren Dobrovsky to a senior position was intended to weaken Barkat's standing. According to the report, Netanyahu's circle suspects Barkat was among the leaders of an attempted putsch against the prime minister after October 7.

Segal added another detail to the account, noting that few people know that it was Communications Minister Haim Katz who discovered the alleged plot and attempted to prevent it. Katz, Segal noted, was also given a protected position in recent political maneuvering.

The allegations have not been independently verified, and Barkat has not publicly responded to the claims.

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