Nir Barkat Biography
Nir Barkat is an Israeli businessman and politician who is presently the Minister of Economy. Between 2008 and 2018, he was the mayor of Jerusalem.
How old is Nir Barkat? – Age
He is 63 years old as of 19 October 2022. He was born in 1959 in Jerusalem.
Nir Barkat Family – Education
His father, Zalman, was a physics professor at Hebrew University. His great-grandfather immigrated to Mandatory Palestine from Russia in the 1920s and died in 1924. Barkat graduated from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a BA in computer science. He also pursued but did not complete a master’s degree in business administration at the same college.
Nir Barkat Wife
Barkat and his artist wife Beverly have three daughters. The family resides in the Beit HaKerem area of Jerusalem.
Nir Barkat Net Worth
He has an estimated net worth of $122 million. Barkat’s net worth was estimated to be NIS 450 million (about $122 million) by Forbes in 2013, making him the wealthiest Israeli politician. Barkat’s name was among 565 Israelis whose names were included in the Pandora papers on October 3, 2021. He did not receive a salary from the city of Jerusalem as mayor.
Nir Barkat Prime Minister
In the 2013 and 2015 Knesset elections, he supported Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu for Prime Minister.
Nir Barkat Terrorist Attack
Barkat gained international prominence in February 2015 when he intervened after witnessing a Palestinian guy attempting to stab a Jewish victim. Barkat was successful in physically subduing the attacker, prompting the Mayoral security detail to arrive and the victim to receive first assistance. The Tzahal Square incident elicited reactions from figures such as former Israeli ambassador to the United States Michael Oren, who stated that Barkat had “courageously” acted, as well as Facebook commentators who shared images of Barkat dressed as Batman, Neo, and other film characters. In light of rising tensions, he advised Israelis to carry guns as a “duty” in October 2015. Several commentators criticized his remarks.
Nir Barkat Jerusalem
In November 2008, Barkat, a secular politician, ran for the second time and won with 52 percent of the vote. He ran on a platform of opposing the light rail, increasing tourism, and finding solutions to the housing crisis. The firing of city council member Rachel Azaria and his proposal to give up neighborhoods with a majority Arab population were among his first-term controversies. He won reelection in 2013 with 52 percent of the vote, beating out his main opponent, Moshe Lion, who got 43 percent of the vote. Barkat was fined NIS 400,000 for misusing election funds after the tense campaign.
Barkat has served the city for one shekel per year ever since he was elected mayor. The Formula 1 exhibition, which was part of the mayor’s effort to elevate Jerusalem’s status as the world’s cultural capital and boost tourism, has been a source of controversy during his second term. Due to street closures, a planned addition to the light rail, and a long-running dispute over funding with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, the Jerusalem Formula One event in 2013 and 2014 was met with criticism. In lieu of running for a third term as mayor, Mayor Nir Barkat joined the Likud party in December 2015 and announced his intention to run for national office. Jerusalem has become a regional hub for tech start-ups since the middle of the 2000s, and Barkat’s administration has offered grants, tax breaks, and incentives to businesses that have employees who live in the city.
Some women’s rights activists have criticized Barkat, including Laura Wharton and Rachel Azaria, both of whom were fired by Barkat for protesting against illegal modesty signs. Barkat has also criticized Women of the Wall for trying to pray at the Kotel in a confrontational way.
After becoming familiar with and making philanthropic investments in the educational system in Jerusalem, Barkat gradually entered politics. Through their investment in The Snunit Center for the Advancement of Web Based Learning, a non-profit, non-governmental organization that uses web-based resources to improve online education and personal and social growth within Israeli society, the Barkat family began investigating the educational gaps in Jerusalem in 1999. Barkat believed that this investment signaled the beginning of his interest in becoming involved in municipal politics in Jerusalem.
In January 2003, Barkat founded the political party Yerushalayim Tatzli’ah (“Jerusalem Will Succeed”) and ran for mayor of Jerusalem. He won with 43% of the vote but lost to Uri Lupoliansky. Barkat led the opposition on the city council after his initial defeat until his 2008 election as mayor. He contributed to the creation of StartUp Jerusalem, a venture to create jobs in the capital, during this time. He briefly led the Kadima party’s Jerusalem faction from 2006 to 2007, when it was a major force in Israeli politics. However, he left because he disagreed with the idea to give up some of Jerusalem.