"Every day that Katz remains finance minister endangers the Israeli economy, the income of nearly a million people and the continued rule of the Right"
By GIL HOFFMANFinance Minister Israel Katz and MK Nir Barkat clash at the Knesset's Finance Committee(photo credit: ADINA WALLMAN/KNESSET SPOKESWOMAN)
Likud MK Nir Barkat on Sunday called upon Finance Minister Israel Katz to resign, as the two future Likud leadership candidates renewed their recent fight.In an interview with KAN Radio on Sunday morning, Katz accused Barkat of undermining both him and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Barkat was the worst mayor in Jerusalem’s history, he said.“He is the last person who can scold anyone or teach anyone anything about economics,” Katz said. “We should be judged by what we did for the public. Over the past decade, I oversaw a complete turnaround on land, air and sea that the entire country sees. He failed over the past 10 years, making Jerusalem into Israel’s poorest city. So how can he dare to talk about the economy?”Barkat came on the air afterward to defend himself and attack Katz. He warned that the finance minister’s policies would lead to the Likud losing power and said he hoped Netanyahu would realize that another post needs to be found for Katz.“He needs to quit immediately,” Barkat said. “This job is a few sizes too big on him.”Barkat made reference to Katz’s recent fight with Finance Ministry director-general Keren Terner, who Katz appointed, and his fights with other top Finance Ministry officials.“He goes crazy and attacks ministers, government officials and anyone else who presents alternatives,” Barkat said. “The finance minister is responsible for the economic crisis, and we all know he failed completely.”“Every day that Katz remains finance minister [he] endangers the Israeli economy, the income of nearly a million people and the continued rule of the Right,” Barkat tweeted, Israel needs change, and, therefore, “Katz must resign immediately,” he added.The fight between the two men began after Netanyahu announced at a campaign event in Or Yehuda in February that Barkat would be the Likud candidate for finance minister.Barkat’s quick return from abroad ahead of the rally raised speculation that he would be appointed finance minister immediately, replacing Moshe Kahlon, who in any case was quitting politics. Barkat was led to believe that the appointment could happen upon his arrival.
But Netanyahu instead appointed Katz, who chaired the Likud campaign and Netanyahu’s Likud leadership campaign.Barkat and Katz ended up presenting Netanyahu different economic plans for dealing with the impact of the coronavirus in July.The two also sparred in June and July at the Knesset Finance Committee.
