Who they are
Barkat was born in 1959 and built a career as a technology entrepreneur and investor, co-founding the BRM group and backing Check Point early. He led the municipal opposition in Jerusalem after losing the 2003 mayoral race, won the mayoralty in 2008 and served until 2018. He entered the Knesset in 2019 and has been economy and industry minister since December 2022.
Positions and record
Import standards: Wants any product meeting a European or American standard admitted without an Israeli one.
Cost of living: Ran a tender making supermarket chains bid discounts on a fixed basket of 100 products.
Land policy: Wants the Israel Land Authority's powers cut to bring down land prices in the periphery.
Where they stand
Breaks with the party line on 1 issue, marked below.
Judea & Samariaparty lineSovereignty over every part of the Land of Israel, pursued through budgets and construction rather than annexation bills, and no Palestinian state.
Two states / withdrawalSovereignty / annexation
Gaza & Securityparty lineNo withdrawal on anyone else's timetable: it slowed and limited the withdrawal in the American plan and made it turn on Hamas disarming first.
Deal & disengagementFull military control
Haredi Enlistmentparty lineIt governs with the Haredi parties and in July 2026 barred the arrest of draft evaders, while its own aims require regular service of every citizen.
Universal draftPreserve exemptions
Judiciaryparty lineThe judicial selection law takes effect with the next Knesset, giving the coalition the decisive voice in appointments. No override clause is sought.
Court can strike lawsKnesset can override
Economypersonal positionInitiated the laws admitting goods certified to EU or US standards without an Israeli one, and wants the Israel Land Authority broken up
Social spendingFree market
Educationparty lineJewish tradition taught through the schools, and the core-studies rule kept on the books without ever being used to cut a budget.
State runs the schoolsParents and communities
Religion & Stateparty lineThe religious status quo, governed with its Haredi partners, alongside a guarantee of freedom of conscience.
Civil / pluralistReligious authority
Nation & Citizenshipparty lineThe Nation-State Law and Jewish self-determination, set beside equal rights for every citizen and the integration of minorities into the state.
Equal citizenshipJewish national state