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As Israel approaches elections later this year, it’s fair to assume that even the great political survivor, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is closer to the end than the beginning of his career. One politician who is often seen as a potential successor from within his Likud party is Nir Barkat, a tech millionaire who served as Jerusalem’s mayor for a decade. Barkat, currently the country’s minister of economy and industry, has previously declared his intention to vie for his party’s leadership.

I sat down with Barkat for a conversation on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. What follows here is a lightly edited and condensed transcript.

As Israel approaches elections later this year, it’s fair to assume that even the great political survivor, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is closer to the end than the beginning of his career. One politician who is often seen as a potential successor from within his Likud party is Nir Barkat, a tech millionaire who served as Jerusalem’s mayor for a decade. Barkat, currently the country’s minister of economy and industry, has previously declared his intention to vie for his party’s leadership.

I sat down with Barkat for a conversation on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. What follows here is a lightly edited and condensed transcript.

Ravi Agrawal: Let’s start with Gaza. Since the cease-fire deal in October, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed. Do you know why?

Nir Barkat: I don’t know what information you’re getting, but the Israeli security forces are securing Israel. And if anybody tries to challenge them, they’re risking their life. There were a number of frictions, mainly of terrorists that tried to hit Israelis. A number of Israelis were wounded and killed as well.

RA: The number that I’ve heard cited is more than 450 people, and UNICEF says that more than 100 of them were children.

NB: The minute that the leadership of Gaza will decide to leave their weapons, demilitarize, deradicalize themselves, and seek to do peace with Israel, they’ll find a good partner.

RA: You’re saying the cease-fire wasn’t sufficient?

NB: I don’t know where you’re getting your information. That’s not the information I know, but the point of the matter is it depends on the local leadership in Gaza. The minute that you’ll have peace-seeking people, we will have peace with them. And as long as they threaten Israel, we will know how to defend ourselves.

RA: Look, I think what Hamas did on Oct. 7 was awful, evil, and should be condemned. But the New York Times is reporting that Israel has destroyed more than........

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